


Perfect Story

by HeyImCaro



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, High School, Kinda, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Slow Build, idk - Freeform, more tags and characters will be added later, strangers to enemies to friends to lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-03 17:33:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11537067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeyImCaro/pseuds/HeyImCaro
Summary: It all made sense. It wasn’t just his good looks or the effect he had in class, it was the fact that no one knew a thing about him besides his name, his wonderful name.Sehun was just the perfect story everyone needed. Including Baekhyun himself.





	1. Lips.

Lips.

That was the only thing in Baekhyun’s mind, but they weren’t any kind of lips, specifically the lips of the guy in front of the class, even if he should be paying attention to Mr. Kim’s lips and whatever they are saying he just couldn’t stop staring those small and pouty pink lips, yeah, he wasn’t exactly the most cheesy guy in the world he just prefers to let the cheesiness to 2008s songs of Taylor Swift but damn that guy could be the star of Baekhyun’s own teen rom-com movie anytime, with his heart speeding up and electricity through his veins he decided to pay attention to whatever was happening.

“…And I just hope you all make Sehun feel welcome in here and help him with the classes…” Mr. Kim said.

So the beautiful lips and face had a name. Sehun. Even his name sounds handsome.

“But that’s enough of me talking, right? Sehun why don’t you introduce yourself to the entire class?”

Sehun nodded. The way smiled at the entire class before speaking made all the girls (and maybe Baekhyun too) sigh and let their hearts beat, his eyebrows made a gesture of surprise which gave a new whole freshness come to his face. “Well, hi. My name’s Oh Sehun and I just moved here last week and I hope all of you treat me well and I’m excited to know you all.”

God alike looks and a honey-like voice, confident, clear, simply perfect.

“Sehun’s had a tour around school but I’m sure that as everyone else at the start he might get confused, so I would like a volunteer to help him go to-“ Mr. Kim looked at the paper in his hand. “-Biology?”

As expected half of the class wanted to be pick.

“Me me! I’ll do it!” Park Sooyoung screamed.

“Pick me, Mr. Kim!” Sooyoung’s best friend Yerim, screamed and waved frantically.

“Now this is a surprise, I wish all of you had the same energy for the class as you have right now, and I would actually like someone who actually takes biology, please.” Mr. Kim said. His eyes looked all over the room and settled on a girl in the front. “Yoobin. And Baekhyun could you please get down off the table before you hurt yourself or any of your classmates.”

Baekhyun heard someone laugh and started feeling his cheeks heat up. Maybe he should have thought about it a little bit more.

He saw how Yoobin put her hand on her cheeks, a blush spreading all over her face as Sehun took the empty place beside her. He put his sight directly to whatever Mr. Kim was saying now and didn’t mind the whole class looking at him and if he did, he didn’t show it. He looked over at Yoobin and asked her something, with her face even redder she handed him the chapter of the book we were discussing in class, but instead of taking it from her he got closer and looked at the text. Yoobin tucked her hair behind her ear and indeed her face was like a tomato.

Baekhyun couldn’t believe it. He knew he should have taken biology.

“Oh, before I forget about it, we need to discuss about class elections.” Mr. Kim said.

Baekhyun looked at his notebook not wanting to know about that topic. Obviously, that didn’t change the fact that he could feel the glance of Junmyeon and that fucking smirk. His heart started to beat faster but for all the wrong reasons.

“We will elect nominees next class so you can think about it. I know it's hard to forget about Kris and Zi Tao but we need a new class president and vice-president or there won't be a winter formal.”

Baekhyun took a big breath at the feeling that now everyone was looking at him too. He decided to distract himself with another thing and looked at Sehun, his face was far too serious and he could tell Sehun was doing everything in his power to pay attention to Mr. Kim not so entertaining class, he adjusted his posture countless times and watched Yoobin doing her notes. Sehun had a vibe that was different even if he was doing just what everyone else was doing. Sehun wasn’t just handsome, he was special. Baekhyun only could think about one thing. It all made sense. It wasn’t just his good looks or the effect he had in class, it was the fact that no one knew a thing about him besides his name, his wonderful name.

Sehun was just the perfect story everyone needed. Including Baekhyun himself.


	2. Seat Taken.

Baekhyun definitely wasn’t hiding behind a wall waiting for Sehun and Yoobin, he just wasn’t. He has dignity and respect for his fellow classmates.

But, well he was hiding.

And the moment he listened to Yoobin’s sweet voice, he knew they were close.

“The winter formal its pretty cool, we organized everything, we plan and sell the tickets and the money we make goes to the charity we choose,” Yoobin said with a pleasing smile.

“That sounds amazing, but I don’t understand how no one wants to be president? Is it too much work?” Sehun replied, sounding as cool as he looked.

“Well, it’s not that-“ Yoobin explained getting closer to Sehun.”-We had election at the start of the year but let's just say that Kris and Zi Tao—“

 _Fuck._ Baekhyun needed to act quickly.

Yoobin stopped at the feeling of someone crashing into her.

“Yoobin! Oh my god! I am so so sorry! I’m so dumb!” Baekhyun told her, he definitely was sorry, Yoobin was a good girl and she had never done anything to Baekhyun, but he needed to do this. “It could be worse, it could be soda.”

She looked at him.

“I'm sure you have time to fix this, thank god the restroom is right here,” Baekhyun told her, nudging her toward the restroom. “Oh! And you don’t have to worry, I'll personally take Sehun to his next class.” And in that exact moment, he looked over at Sehun’s schedule before any of them could complain. “Art? Great! Me too! Come this way.”

Sehun doubts and looked at Yoobin. “Do you want some help?”

She shooked her head and smiled.

“Hey! Come on! Mrs. Choi doesn’t tolerate tardiness!”

 

They made it to art class just in time and Baekhyun handed Sehun his sketchbook not before he tore out a paper for himself. “So you just moved here? That’s amazing.”

“Yeah, I have spent my whole week unpacking and I haven't even bought anything for school, are you really okay with giving me your sketchbook? Won't you need a second paper?”

“I'm sure I won't need more than one, but if that’s the case you could just give me another one, right?

Sehun smiled at me. “Yeah, sure thing. Thanks.”

“Yeah. So--“ Baekhyun looked over at Sehun and took a breath the moment the other looked at him, he was a reporter, it was normal to ask questions, he couldn’t be nervous. “-Do you have a girlfriend?”

Sehun looked at him weirdly. “Don’t you think that’s a personal question?”

“Well, we’ll be friends, so better to know now than later, am I right?” Baekhyun gave him his best smile.

Sehun sighed and gave him a strange smirk. “No girlfriend.”

Baekhyun’s heart screamed of happiness. But he couldn’t let himself get excited yet. “Boyfriend?”

Sehun looked at him again. “Nop, no one. I am so single.”

“Hmm, single? So, does that mean that-?

“Byun Baekhyun,” Mrs. Choi interrupted him. “Are you done yet with your interrogation?”

“I am not, Mrs. Choi but I’ll stop for you.”

She looked at him and then at Sehun. “You must be the new student, please don’t let Baekhyun distract you.”

Sehun raised an eyebrow and answered. “I won't.”

Five minutes passed before Baekhyun’s voice could be heard again. “So, what’s your type?”

“My type? I don’t know, abstract? I’m not sure, it's just a sketch. Yours?” Sehun told him.

Baekhyun let out a small laugh. “Not in that, dummy. People. What kind of type will you date?”

Sehun glance at him. “Mrs. Choi just said—“

“Don’t worry, it's not as if you’re getting in trouble. You are new.” Baekhyun assured him.

“So, let me get this straight. If I answer your question, will you stop talking?”

“Momentarily.”

Sehun licked his lips, _again with his fucking mouth._ “I don’t think I have a type.”

“What? You must. Brunettes? Dropy eyes? Funny?”

“I never had the necessity to think about it.”

Baekhyun was shocked. “Really? Nothing? Geeky? Small? Extremely cute?” He tried to describe himself as smooth as possible, maybe that way Sehun will take the hint.

“Well, actually I’ll tell you one thing.” Sehun stopped for a second, giving Baekhyun some kind of hope. “My type it's not exactly chatty guys who can't take a hint.”

Well, touché.

“Again, Mr. Byun?”

“I'm sorry, it won't happen again,” Baekhyun answered, face full red from embarrassment.

Baekhyun returned to his draw again, silence filled the room accompanied by the sound of pencils against paper. Baekhyun was going crazy. Ten minutes was the most time he could handle. “So, where did you live before?”

Sehun gave him a nasty look. “I can't believe this.”

Baekhyun didn’t mind it. “Where did you go to school before?”

“I was homeschooled.”

“Wow. That’s cool. You don’t look homeschooled, you seem more confident and—“

“Mr. Byun! I want you to go to the office!”

“I know I know,” Baekhyun grabbed his things. “You can give me my sketchbook at Chemistry. Save me a chair, please.”

After a long talk with the counselor, he came back just in time for Chemistry just to hear Sehun and other classmates talking, obviously, the taller one was the center of attention between everyone, he decided to listen closely to whatever they were discussing.

“I don’t know what club I should join. Any recommendations?” Sehun told everyone.

“Basketball.” Yerim, who was really close to him told him. “You have the height and I’m sure it wouldn’t be your first time doing it, also, I’m a cheerleader so I could always cheer you up and vice-versa.” She finished with an innocent smirk.

Junmyeon got closer to Sehun and told him. “I’m not in the team but I’m friends with the majority of them and if you really consider it I could help you to know everyone for you to feel more welcome.”

 _Damn it, Junmyeon really needed to stick his nose everywhere?_ Baekhyun thought.

He took a seat and put out his notebook and pencil, he was more than ready to start taking notes, in a matter of seconds the teacher entered the classroom and asked everyone for attention. Baekhyun needed to act quickly if we wanted his story to be as planned.

After what it felt like hours of suffering, the bell finally rang and in no time everyone was heading to lunch, Baekhyun heard the teacher asked Sehun for a couple of minutes so he could explain what kind of materials he would need. Baekhyun seriously thought about staying and hear what the teacher was going to say but he was already on the black list of the jocks, he didn’t need to be in the teacher’s one.

The moment he got out he notices a guy looking at the newspaper submissions poster, he thought how odd that was, he himself had put those all around school and no one has even looked at their direction.

In the next moment, Sehun was getting out of the classroom and on each side, there were Sooyoung and Yerim, Baekhyun thought this was his opportunity. He knew how those two were about guys. He got closer to Sooyoung and told her. “Sooyoung. Oh my God. Do you have an idea of who that guy is?”

“What guy Baekhyun? I don’t have a directory of every guy in this goddamn school.” Sooyoung said.

“Don’t freak out but I’m totally sure he was waiting for you to get out.”

“No way, he is just observing the announcements.” Sehun interrupted.

“No, I think Baekhyun is right. No one in their right mind would look at the Newspaper submission for that long…or at all. No offense, Baek.” Sooyoung clarified.

“None taken.” He replied.

“Holy shit, I think he is following us,” Yerim assured. “Now that I look at him, I think he is kinda cute.”

“Maybe you should go and talk to him. Not everyone runs with the same luck as you.” Baekhyun said to her, if this worked out Sehun will be all his for lunch.

“What makes you believe he is following her? Maybe he is interested in me.” Sooyoung said with an annoyed look on her round and cute face.

“For all we know he might be following me, I mean, this pink lips and cute eyes have their charm.” Baekhyun joked. “But seriously, maybe you two should go and talk to him and discover which one he was following.”

“That’s a good idea. Come on Yeri!” Sooyoung called Yerim by her well know nickname and took her hand

“Tell me if he was following me, I’m cute after all.” Baekhyun told them before they run off to that poor boy. “So, they left you on your own, poor you. You are one lucky boy because here is Baekhyun to help you.”

“I’m pretty sure you made them leave on purpose.” Sehun smiled.

“I would never do that, come on I’m starving.” Baekhyun started walking and Sehun followed him right away.

“Pink lips and cute eyes? Really?” Sehun repeated Baekhyun’s words from before.

“What? Don’t you think so?” Baekhyun joked, the taller one just let out a little laugh and kept on walking. “So, tell me everything about you.”

“Uh—no.” Of course, Baehyun being the reporter he was, wasn’t going to surrender that easily.

By the moment they reached the cafeteria he learned that Sehun was a fan of swimming, he liked games but nothing too crazy, he loved music and actually played some instruments, even tho he refused to tell him which ones and what kind of music he liked, they went and collect their lunch, now the most important part of helping Sehun was gonna begin.

“I don’t know how knowing what kind of music I like should matter to you.”

“That’s mean. I’m about to help you to make the biggest decision of your high school life and you are acting like this.” We stood in front of all the tables and looking at Sehun’s confused face Baekhyun kept talking. “It’s time for you to choose your social group. This will be crucial in how everyone will treat you.”

Sehun frowned. “What do you mean? Everyone so far has been really nice.”

“Exactly! That’s because you haven't chosen one.”

“Are you aware that Mean Girls it's just a movie?” Sehun told him.

“Oh? So, you know the basics of high school that’s good.”

“Unbelievable.”

“Here, let me help you.” Baekhyun began. “That table right there where everyone looks stunning, happy and as if all their lives were already planned out are the “popular ones” mostly integrated by the smart and cool ones, Athletics and rich ones. If you sit with them, everyone else will think of you as an arrogant and selfish person but at the same time they’ll respect and adore you. That table is the one for the nerd ones, they could have been in the table of the popular but unfortunately, they weren’t born gracefully attractive as them, not that I judge, beauty is subjective. That table is the one for the artists, musicians, painters, performers, dancers and more, you could say they are really liberal but you need to have a certain cultural knowledge for you to get along with them. That—“

“I can’t stand here all day.” Sehun began to walk.

“Wait! You are making a serious mistake.” Baekhyun told him. “I’m just trying to help, this will seriously help you.”

“Keep going then.”

“So, I was saying the artistic table is fine only if you can tolerate Musical days—“

“Musical days?”

“Yeah, It’s like High School Musical, but actually most of them can’t sing. And yes, those days they only sing, no talking.”

“Pass. And that table?”

“The anime club one? They’re fine if you are ready for strange talks and everyone looking at you weirdly.”

“Do they really can dye their hair those colors?”

“I’m sure those are wigs, it must be only a cosplay or something like that.”

“Hmm. And that table? Emo? Punk?”

“Yeah, kind of. Not sure that’s your style.” Baekhyun said. “But, I’m pretty sure you could rock the Popular's one table.”

“Why would I like to sit with a bunch of people you just described as arrogant and selfish.”

“I told you that’s how everyone sees them. Not me. Also, everyone respects them.” Baekhyun began to point to one of the girls in the table. “See that girl? That’s Bae Joohyun, last year she was the teacher’s pet but the second she started dating Kris, the former football captain, she became school’s sweet heart, the most popular and pretty girl. Now, she’s the Head Cheerleader. Smart, beautiful, kind. Naturally, everyone wants to hate her but she’s just too nice. And that is what you need. A way in.”

“Are you saying that I should befriend her so I get to sit at their table?” The taller looked at Baekhyun incredulous.

“Yeah, it won’t be easy. Those two Lisa and Jennie are total bitches they are too cool for anyone here, don’t let their appearance fool you. That is Junmyeon the most popular guy in school. He is the perfect example that the only thing you only really need is money. And a perfect smile. But believe me, he is just a jerk dress as a king. Most of his friends are, actually. Except Yixing, the guy right there. He’s really nice but he can’t follow them, although I’m sure he is trying. Oh! Junmyeon told you something about the Basketball team, right? Or was It the football team? Doesn’t matter—“

Baekhyun turned to see Sehun and found him heading to the wrong direction. “Hey! What are you doing?”

“Trying to have my lunch in peace.”

“But you totally ignored all the groups I told you! You’re heading to the—“ _Oh no._ “You are heading to the loser’s table! You shouldn’t sit there, everyone will stay away from you.”

“Great, because if they are as nearly bad as you describe them, I don’t want to be near them or you with your horrible opinions,” Sehun told him.

“What do you mean?”

“You can't just simply label people. It's rude. They are human beings not only some thing you can put a price in. I hate superficial people. And you, my friend, are the most superficial person I’ve ever met.” Sehun told him in a tone of voice like he really didn’t care about Baekhyun or this conversation. Serious. Just as his face. “You should go back to your popularity contest, I don’t want to be involved with that.”

Baekhyun didn’t have words, he was trying to help. Wasn’t he? Sehun walked to the table and the four people in there looked up. Sehun sits in an empty seat not before asking if it was okay to sit, one of them nodded and he sat. Baekhyun was used to have his self-esteem crushed. But Sehun had just destroyed his conceptual map of popularity.

And he had taken Baekhyun’s seat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Exo just made a Comeback so be sure to support them and love them! Comment below which song of The War was your favorite! Mine is Going Crazy! :D 
> 
> Also, tell me what you think of this chapter!! Pleaseee :D 
> 
> xoxo :) 


	3. Newspaper and the Worst Monday Ever.

 

“Baekhyun! I’ve been searching for your flat ass everywhere!” A hand clamped on Baekhyun’s shoulder which made him jump, he looked a the person and of course, it was Seunghee, his long time friend or something like that. “Did you forget the club’s meeting? You remember you are in the newspaper club? Or you have other plans?” She told him with that pretty face of hers.

Seunghee was like Cinderella, excluding all that slave kind of thing and that no one pays attention to her mostly because she doesn’t want to but the point is that she was a pretty girl, but apparently Baekhyun is the only one who notices that. But here she was with her rhetorical questions, she doesn’t care if Baekhyun has other plans, the club it’s the number one priority.

“Seunghee-boo, you offend me. You are aware that nothing in this shitty world could ever come between my beloved club and obviously its meeting. I think I just—forgot. I’ve been a little bit distracted these past hours.” Seunghee looked at him with a worried face. He noticed how they were disturbing all the chatty students passing by the corridors. Not that he cared. “I’ve been working on a story and—“

“Shh. No spoilers.” Seunghee took him and brought him to the class room where the club usually does its work. “You can tell me everything in the meeting. Hi, Minseok. Is everyone here? Are you ready?”

“Actually, um—“ Minseok put his hand behind his head. “I’m not staying. I quit.”

Anyone could think Seunghee was a cute and weird girl who kinda looked like a baby but whoever knew her was aware that she could be…intense. Even more than Baekhyun and that was a lot to say. He saw her face getting angry, it was obvious by the way her mouth grinned in an unsatisfying way showing her annoyance.

“You can’t.”

“Watch me. I’m sick of all this. No one takes us seriously, they don’t have respect for us, No one even reads this fucking paper! They use it to make paper planes! All my friends tell me I should join a real club. People treat the nerds even better only because they are smart but us? They consider us crap and traitors all thanks to Baekhyun, by the way—“ Minseok was mad. And tired. Baekhyun noticed but that didn’t give him the right to tell those things, mostly because he didn’t know the real story.

“Stop. You can't say that. You have no right. Now go.” Seunghee was furious and she hides it all behind that calm face. “Your contributions won't be missed. I accept your resignation.” She told her.

“Fine.” Minseok let slamming the door behind him.

“Wow,” Chanyeol said. “Are you okay, Seunghee?”

She didn’t say anything. Her face was calm. It was times like this when she looked scarier. When she acted like she didn't care about anything. But true to be told she had her own reputation among everyone. It was in freshman year when she’d hit the senior worst bully with a book because he wanted to remove her from a seat in lunch. In any moment she showed a sight of vulnerability.

Baekhyun approached her and put her arm around Seunghee's shoulder carefully. “He’ll be back. They always come back. Don’t they Chanyeol?” He turns to see his friend.

“Wow, really mature, Baekhyun. That was a long time ago.” He defends himself.

“More like two months ago,” Seunghee told him with a smile, leaning on Baekhyun. “I don’t know what to do.” She sigh.

“Everything will be fine.” Baekhyun assured her.

“But what if it doesn’t? Last year our newspaper was the best in the state! Now—all we have is a staff of four and no one even reads it! Not even Mr. Kim and he is the one in charge!” Seunghee was about to cry.

“You are the best at this, Hee. You are an amazing editor. We don’t have to wait for a miracle. We need to make it ourselves.” Jongdae, another member of the club told her.

“Right.” Seunghee took a deep breath and let go of Baekhyun’s shoulder. “We need to decide who is taking over Minseok’s work.”

“I’ll do anything you need me to.” Baekhyun told her.

“Thanks, Baekhyun I don’t know what I’ll do without y—“

“Except cover sport games or anything like that.”

“Minseok was our sports reporter.”

“I guess Chanyeol must have to do it—“

“Hey!” Chanyeol screamed.

“You are right, but you’ll help him.”

“No. no. no. I can’t. The smell is horrible and they all act like animals. And you perfectly know they all hate me. Why would I go to a game where the players and the supporters hate me? Sure thing they’ll kill me in a matter of seconds.”

“Okay, Baek. So I’ll take the guys’ team and you take the girls’.”

“That’s even worse! When the guys play, they’re on the field, playing. But when the girls are playing the guys are there having the time of their life seeing pretty girls sweating and if they watch me, I’m a dead man!”

“Are you okay?” Seunghee said.

“I’m a teenager. When is everything all right?”

“You know what I'm talking about. We all knew that publishing the story about Kris wasn’t going to make us the most beloved students in High School; we made the right choice. This is journalism, not everyone will love what you do, but bullying is another whole thing. If you want to tell the teacher or even the principal, I’ll help you.” Seunghee told him with a warm smile that made her eyes disappear.

“They are not going to help. You like it or not they kinda hate us too. We ruined the school’s opportunity of ever winning anything again.” Baekhyun was a little bit mad. It wasn’t fair. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to put guilt on your shoulders. It's my fault, I was the one who brought you guys with me to hell. And I’m sorry.”

“Baekhyun, we just want to help,” Chanyeol said. “We are in this together. We are a team and more than that we are friends. And I’m serious.”

“So am I. I’m their target, not you guys. If I just dropped journalism, you wouldn’t have to deal with me.”

“Don’t even think about it, you shit,” Jongdae said. “You care about this paper as much as we do, you love this club—and writing—more than anyone else.”

“But—“

“Shut up. We all agreed to publish the story. And it was a great story!” Seunghee told him.” “You are so not quitting, not after everything we went through.”

“And if anyone messes with you. I’ll end them!” Chanyeol said with fake anger.

“Yeah, sure. I’m pretty sure Seunghee is more strong than you, buddy.” Jongdae joked.

After what it felt a long laugh and sweet moment they decided to continue with their meeting.”

“As we all know the major event happening right now it’s the fact that Baekhyun’s class has its election. Or more like it should be happening. But we can't make a story out of this. The entire school is aware that your class doesn’t even have a candidate.” Seunghee explained. It was true, the class had has their opportunities to chose someone.

“But, we can do a story about it. We all know that since Kris left school his friends will make life a living hell to whoever dares to take his place or in that matter Zi Tao’s.” Jongdae explained.

“Oh, Hell no!” Chanyeol screamed. “Weren't we talking minutes ago how Baekhyun was suffering still from a story we published some time ago. If we ran another story about Kris’ friends or anyone who involves him, they make sure to shut us down.”

And Chanyeol had a point. Writing a story like that was definitely make everyone hate them even more, especially Baekhyun.

“But that’s why we need to write it!” Seunghee defended Jongdae’s point. “The school needs this paper. This is the place where everyone can express themselves without fear and with liberty—We are all equals.”

“Won’t that be too dangerous? We can always talk about other things or schools. Gossip always sells.” Baekhyun said.

“If there’s something teenagers like to read about is themselves—“

The door swung open to reveal some of the theater club members.

“It looks like it's empty. Let’s practice in here.” Kyungsoo, the theater club’s leader said, ignoring the fact that four people were standing in the middle.

They began to push chairs and desks aside, they put a CD player in the table.

“Uhm—excuse me,” Seugnhee said, arms folded across her chest. “We are having a meeting in here, so you can go anywhere else.”

“I don’t think three people is a meeting. Oh wait, Baekhyun is here too; still not enough. On the other hand, we are ten and we are doing a rehearsal.”

“The auditorium is for that. This is the newspaper’s room—“

“We have permission and a note from Mr. Kim.” He put the note in front of their faces and yeah, that was definitely Mr. Kim’s handwriting. “But you are free to stay here, just don’t talk. At the end, you can just meet everywhere.”

“This is some bullshit. Let’s go guys.” Jongdae said, grabbing Seunghee. He was the only one who could control her like that.

“What are you doing? I can with all of them.” Seunghee complained. 

“And that’s exactly why I did it.”

“I’m definitely telling Mr. Kim about it. Oh, Baek, weren't you going to tell me something before the meeting started; about a story?”

“Uhm—I can give you a report later.”

“Fine.”

They all went with Baekhyun to his locker.

“It’ll be ready before deadline—oof!”

“Ups. The way I see it your stomach was in the way of my elbow.” _Fucking Junmyeon_

“Wow. That’s a good one. I haven't heard that since 8th grade. Really nostalgic.” Chanyeol said in a sarcastic way.

“The fuck you said to Junmyeon?” One of Junmyeon’s follower monkeys said.

“Nostalgic? Ha!” Chanyeol laughed.

“Let’s go, guys before their stupidity stick to us.” Jongdae said.

When they were far enough, Baekhyun said goodbye and went his own way. He stopped the moment he saw Sehun walked past some group of friends without being noticed. He went from being the center of attention to go unnoticed. Now he was destined for misery, Another weirdo.

And it was all Baekhyun’s fault.

 

-

 

Baekhyun unlocked the apartment’s door and took his coat off. Finally, the day was over. He smelled a delicious aroma that filled the entire place and went to the kitchen. He found a note in the fridge from his mother telling him not to stay up late and some kisses.

Her mom was really smart and organized, which made her one of the best doctors out there. And how not to be when she needed to have a lot of information in her head. Baekhyun opened the fridge and grabbed some juice. He went to his room to take his clothes off, and after that to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

After changing to some more comfortable clothes he sat on his couch.

 _I’m not superficial. I'm definitely not. Superficial people only cared about looks and popularity. They joined whatever club will bring them that. People like me are in the newspaper’s club and sit alone for lunch, and pretty much everywhere. I couldn't get any less popular. Sehun was wrong._ Baekhyun thought. _But if I’m not superficial, why do I care so much what Sehun thinks. Wow, I’m disgusted at myself._

The door bell.

“What is it?” Baekhyun dragged himself off that couch.

“Uhm—I just moved into the next building and we got your mail by accident and well I kinda opened it by mistake.” He hoped that voice was just his imagination.

 _We got your mail._ Those words were scary.

It was not his imagination. “You opened it?”

Sehun took a step back. “Accidentally. It’s not like I would like to read your mail.” He handed the envelope. “I’m in building II and this has the last digit, which has the number of your apartment covered by a sticker or something.”

Baekhyun grabbed the envelope. The pages looked a little crushed— _had he read them?_

_Dear Mr. Byun_

_We thank you for your interest in our agency. Unfortunately—_

Baekhyun moaned and hit himself in the face with the papers. He was again rejected.

“It's not that bad,” Sehun said. “They said it was good for a first effort.”

Baekhyun laughed, reaching for the door handle. “Which would be good—if it was the first effort.”

He slammed the door and in that moment he realized how badly he ruined it up. “Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” _How could I be so dumb?_ Sehun just saw a writing he had never shown anyone, not even Chanyeol or Seunghee. And now he knew he had been rejected a thousand times! It was important information in hands of some one who disgust him. “What the hell is wrong with me?”

“Uh, Baekhyun? I can still hear you—“

“Just go away! Haven't you made me miserable enough for one day? Fuck!”

“It wasn’t my—“

“Go. A. Way.”

Baekhyun listened Sehun’s footsteps echo down the stairs. This was the worst Monday ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment! :D Probaly this monday the next chap will be up :D 


	4. Breakfast At Tiffany's.

Half an hour later, Baekhyun climbs the steps of the Building II stairway. He rang the doorbell, hoping it really was Sehun’s apartment. Coming over groveling was bad enough but groveling to a wrong apartment was worst. That thought was almost enough to make him turn around. But the fact that he could not avoid school knowing that everyone knew he had been rejected multiple times. They already make his life a living hell. Sehun was his only chance. He smoothed his hair with his fingers, he had changed into a new pair of jeans and his best sweater. Not that he needed dignity.

Sehun raised one of his perfect eyebrows as he opened the door. “What’s the point of making me go away if you come here?”

“Shut your mouth and let me apologize.” _Well, that wasn’t how I planned it._

“Apologize?”

“Yeah, you know, for yelling at you about the mail. I’m sorry.” Baekhyun looked at him with his best puppy eyes. “And make it up to you. Maybe I could help you with homework, and you need extra help with the things we covered up before. I even brought my notes with me.”

Sehun snorted. “You take notes?”

“It’s really that difficult to believe? My notes are pure gold, also I’m the best you got.”

“Don’t take it personal, but I sat behind you in Chemistry and you were scribbling and drawing on your notebook without paying attention to class.”

“Maybe I already knew what the class was going to be about.”

Sehun laughed. “It's weird to think you know anything that doesn't appear in some trashy gossip magazine.” Sehun let him enter still laughing.

The apartment was the same size as Baekhyun’s but it was a lot neater, everything was in place and it had a lot less furniture than his but somehow it looked like everything was planned to be like that. The paintings were modern and stylish, the sofa was of leather and it was one of the only things that stand out, besides the big flat screen TV on the wall. “Do you live here?” Baekhyun said.

“Well, I didn’t break in here and steal an apartment if that’s what you were implying,” Sehun said in a joke kind of way and let out a smirk which made Baekhyun blushed.

“Uhm—you just moved in here, right? Where are all the boxes?”

“How come?”

“It’s just that when my mom and I moved in, we had cardboard boxes for months. You know…packing?

“I moved and the apartment was already here. That’s just it.”

“How does that work? I don’t get it.” Baekhyun said confused and inclined his head a little, which made him look like a puppy.

“Both my parents work in the city and figured out that if they needed to work in the city for a couple of days an apartment would be cheaper than a hotel, and now that we live here, well everything was in place.”

“Ohh, but why don’t they rent an apartment in the actual city?”

“Well, they kind of hate it. A town it's better, also, it’s a lot cheaper.”

“That makes sense. So are we studying or what?” Baekhyun took a seat on the leather couch and looked at Sehun.

“You’re serious about studying?” Sehun looked at the smaller boy with an incredulous gesture in his face.

“Do you think I wasn’t? Not everything I know is about magazines and teenager movies as you think.”

“Fine.” Sehun went for his chemistry book and sat beside Baekhyun.

After a couple of minutes of their hard-work study, they decided to take a break because a tired student is an angry student and an angry student can't work properly.

“No, I already told you its fine. Yes, I know how to order in—Of course I know, mom. “Sehun turned his back on Baekhyun to answer. “I have a classmate here—yes, from school. Where else would I get a classmate, mom? No, he is not a drug deal—What? That doesn’t make sense. He can barely reach my shoulder—“

“Hey!” Baekhyun screamed and laughed. He could kick his precious ass if he wanted to. Or… he could ask Seunghee to do it.

“Helping with homework. Uhm—I don’t know. I can ask him. Yeah, sure. Love you too. Bye.”

“Ask me what?”

“It was a private conversation, thank you.”

“You just had it in front of me and also you mentioned me.”

Sehun tossed his phone on the couch. “At least you should try to pretend you didn’t listen.”

“I can't. I am physically and psychologically incapable of lying or faking it. You know, keeping secrets. I kind of just blurt things out.”

“Yeah, I had already noticed.”

“What do you mean? Middle school was hell for me because of it, they invented nasty nick names because of it. It wasn’t cool.”

“I mean, all those things you said earlier. And you couldn’t keep your mouth closed for a second.”

“Do you mean the things I said in the cafeteria? Or the things I said about me being cute?” Baekhyun tried to get closer to Sehun while he said those things.

“Everything.”

“Wow. Don’t you think I'm cute? Not even a little?”

“Maybe I would think that if you kept your mouth closed for a second,” Sehun answered with a smirk in his lips. All this was becoming more and more amusing for Baekhyun, but he needed to keep in line. He had a plan and he needed to stick to it.

“That’s a shame. Both of us know it won't happen. I love words.”

“That’s how you found out you were meant to be a gossip columnist?”

“Hey! I do other things too. Gossips its what catches the attention of teenagers. Also, there's nothing wrong with keeping up with the Kardashians.”

Sehun laughed and look at him funnily. “You could just not tell stories.” Sehun said.

“It's easier told than done.”

“I don’t think so.” Sehun hesitated.

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow at Sehun. “We’ll see how long it takes for our classmates to hear about my failed script.”

“I don’t go in life telling people gossips.”

“You wait and see what high school does to you. If you don’t watch TV or have a girlfriend, with what else are you going to entertain yourself?” Baekhyun said in a serious way.

“Maybe I just want to spend my school life doing something that matters and you know, learn something. I’m not going to turn into whatever you said before.” Sehun assured him.

“I saw you. You looked lonely leaving school.”

“I'm used to it, Baekhyun. My parents travel a lot and if they don’t they usually are too busy.”

“Who was that on the phone?”

“My mom. You just watch something that doesn’t happen a lot. My mom’s in town and she told me if I had already eaten and since I told her about you, she wanted me to order food for both of us.”

“That depends on what you’ll give me.”

“You are the one who has lived his whole life here. You decide.”

After receiving their food, which was only a big pizza. Simple and delicious. They decided to keep on studying. As Sehun was trying to solve some math problems Baekhyun decided to look into the DVD shelve. Someone in this family was a serious film collector. There were movies from newest releases to classics. Something was for sure. Sehun wasn’t the one obsessed. “You have a lot of movies in here. Oh My God! You have my favorite movie! Breakfast At Tiffany’s is gold!”

Sehun hummed at Baekhyun’s comment. “I think I understand this one. Come and take a look.” Sehun told Baekhyun.

Baekhyun got closer and took a look. “Finally. Took you long enough.” He said in a good way and laughed.

Sehun looked at Baekhyun laughing like he was studying him closely. There was something in his eyes he couldn’t explain. “What? Do I have something in my teeth?”

“You're really smart, after all that shit you spouted at lunch, I'm surprised.”

“Look, I know how the system works, it doesn’t mean I _like_ the system.”

“If you are that smart, why don’t you just ignore it?”

“It’s not that easy, if you want people to listen you need to be popular and to be popular you have to be someone you are not to fit in. “

 

“I don’t know about that.”

“Hmm. Maybe we should stop studying for now and watch Breakfast At Tiffany’s, even tho I bet you have already seen it. Everyone has.” The way Sehun’s face shows insecurity, Baekhyun knew. “You haven't watched it. Sit your ass down. You are about to be educated.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary. I don’t need to watch some crappy movie from the sixties.”

“You can insult me, tell me you hate me, even spit on my face, but never insult this movie.”

“Fine, I'll watch it but I'm not gonna like it.”

-

As the movie ended, Baekhyun turns to see Sehun’s face. “So?”

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“That bad? This movie is a classic!”

“Well, it's not like it teaches you something.”

“People don’t want to learn or watch horrible truths, they want to be entertained. Also, this movie does teach you something!” Baekhyun stood up from where he was.

“How?” Sehun stood up. “What kind of message does this movie sends? That looking for rich guys doesn’t always work?”

“Did we see the same movie? I can't believe this. Most of the movie Holly is chasing rich men who she thought would give her happiness and everything she deserves and wants. She looks so hard that she doesn’t notice whats in front of her! The message is that whatever or whoever you're looking for might be in front of your eyes and you won't even notice. And that’s a tragedy.” Baekhyun stopped talking and he noticed how close he got to Sehun their faces were really close and Sehun’s was looking at him weirdly but not in a bad way. It was kind of intimate. He could feel his breath.

“You are right, that can happen,” Sehun whispered softly looking right into Baekhyun’s eyes. “What you are looking might be in front of you—“

The apartment door opened. “Sehun, honey, I'm so sorry. Traffic was—“ A pretty woman dressed elegantly said stopping mid way. “Who is this?”

The two of them separate from each other. “The classmate I told you about. Mom, this is Baekhyun. Baekhyun, this is my mom—“

“Oh so good to meet one of Sehun’s friends. Finally! “ She hugged Baekhyun and smiled.

“He is not exactly a friend, mom.”

“”Oh? Are you two dating?” She smirked.

“NO!” Both of them answered.

“Mrs. Oh. We are just classmates. We barely know each other.”

“Hmm. That’s a shame. You are really cute.” Baekhyun turns to send Sehun an ‘ _I told you’_ look. “You're out late on a school night, Baekhyun.”

“Am I? Baekhyun looked at his phone. “Oh shit! I mean—See you at school, Sehun.”

Sehun followed him to the door. “You're not going to get in trouble?”

“Hmm? No! My mom is still working. I just have a deadline.”

Baekhyun ran all the way to his apartment, it was no use. It was after ten and he had no idea what he was going to do for Seunghee’s front-page article.

“Why? Why does this happen to me?” Baekhyun told himself.

He could write some random crap. But Seunghee would kill him first. _If only there was a presidential candidate! Some one who didn’t care about cliques or popularity. Someone who wasn't afraid of Kris and Zi Tao’s friends._

_Bingo!_

Baekhyun opened his laptop and began to type. He was about to solve everyone’s problems. Seunghee would get her story. His classmates would have their formal. Some lucky girl was going to date the class president. And Sehun…

How would Sehun take this? Bakehyun hesitated for a moment, remembering the moment they had minutes ago.

_He said he wanted to be productive. What could be more productive than being class president?_

“You thought being the new kid got you a lot of attention. Just wait until you’re class president. Everyone’s going to adore you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next chap! Sorry if it's late and a little short, I hope that by Wednesday another chap will be up!
> 
> Please comment! 
> 
> ALSO, did you all see all those sebaek moments this comeback? omg Baekhyun is a savage! I love them! 


	5. Candidate.

Next morning Baekhyun woke up, change and went to his kitchen, there was a message from his mom on the fridge, he grabbed him.

_I thought you liked my food :c_

_Love you, Mom_

Baekhyun decided to write back something for her to see.

_I was at a friend’s place, I thought you wanted me to make more friends :/_

_Your lovely son, Baekhyun xx_

That wasn't completely right, Sehun was far from being a friend, at the end the guy hated him, then again, Sehun wouldn’t watch such a movie like Breakfast At Tiffany’s for someone he despised. “That’s one of the things that would make him such a great leader,” Baekhyun told himself.

As Baekhyun came down the stairs he saw Sehun, he fell into place beside Baekhyun as he walked and said. “Aren't you leaving your house a little late? Or you want detention on purpose?”

“Not if I take a shortcut. Also, you are late too.” Baekhyun was happy, he had an amazing breakfast. He loved his mom’s food and his stomach was full and warm, that was one of Baekhyun’s favorite sensations. He felt at the top of the world.

As they reached the schools building he saw a bunch of girls outside.

“I have calculus first, but I don’t really know where is the classroom. Would you mind—“

“No need,” Baekhyun told him. “You won't have more problems getting to your classes today or any other day.” He wanted to help the taller so much but he knew he shouldn’t, he needed to stick to his plan even if his mind (or feelings) told him anything else. He only hoped Seunghee have had rushed to school to print the paper and leave it where everyone would find it. If it was like planned the entire school would hear about it soon.

“What? What do you mean?”

“You'll find out.” The girls noticed them. “And please let me be the first one to congratulate you in your presidency." Baekhyun said with a smile on his face.

“My what? Baekhyun, what have you done—“

“Sehun! Good morning!” Yerim pushed Baekhyun out of the way. “We want to help you reach all your classes. You are still a new student.”

“Thanks…that’s very kind of you—“

“You are so welcome. We just want to help.” The big smile of Sooyoung appeared at the other side of Sehun. “Calculus? Me too!”

“Calculus? We all now she is taking remedial algebra.” Nayeon folded her arms and saw how both girls took Sehun away. “Some girls will do anything for a cute guy.”

Jihyo looked at Baekhyun, he tried to take a step back, but it was already too late. “Baekhyun. You spoke to him. What kind of girls does Sehun go for?”

“Uh—“

“You can totally tell us, Baekhyun.” Nayeon flashed a sweet and fake smile. “We are all friends, we won't tell anyone.” 

 _Of course, you won't._ Baekhyun thought. She definitely hasn’t been a friend all this past year.

“Sorry. If you want to know anything about Sehun, you’ll have to read about him in our election special.” Seunghee appeared in front of them.

“Election special?” They all wondered.

“Baekhyun, you are a genius when you want to be one. I want a follow-up article by tonight. “

Baekhyun made his way to his classes, everyone in the hall looked more excited at talking, he slowed down to hear what they were saying.

“I already have a perfect dress for the formal—“

“I know! We finally have a candidate. And he is single! Do you think he plays any instruments?”

“Do you want to impress him?—Oh my god. Don’t look but that depressive and lifeless loser is right there.“

Baekhyun looked.

Minji walked down the hall. Her black hair with a purple undertone usually fell around her slim face but today she had it tied up in a messy bun. Her face was different, it wasn’t only the smokey eye she had or the thick eyeliner or even the blue contacts she usually wears; it was all the same. Her nails were black. Her style was the same. Oh, her lips. He has never seen her with a natural pink lip color. That was new.

“What does this mean?” Sehun told him.

Baekhyun looked at him. “I don’t really know. Minji maybe felt like it was time for a change?”

Sehun took his arm and drag him to an empty room. “Why so rude? If you want to take me to an empty room, you should invite me dinner first.” Baekhyun said playfully.

“This.” Sehun shows him a paper. The paper. He wasn’t having Baekhyun’s jokes. “You can't tell me you are not behind this.”

Baekhyun took the paper. “Behind this? It’s just an article!”

“Well, from all the unnecessary attention I been getting, it looks like it’s the end of my peacefully high school life.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “You make it sound like it’s the end of the world. It’s just a nomination for class president. It's not bad.”

“Shouldn’t you have asked me first?”

“It's only a nomination! You don’t even have to accept it, but it will be pretty dumb if you don’t. I just thought being class president would be perfect for you!”

“Yeah? How? I don’t care about popularity or anything of those things. I just want to enjoy high school.”

“And that right there is what makes you such an excellent candidate for class! Just think about it—You’d be fair, you’ll treat everyone equally.”

Sehun shook his head. “I don’t even know them! Or anything about this school for the matter.”

“Even better! That way you’ll take the time to know every club or clique or whatever you want to call them.”

“But I don’t want to. Someone else could do it.”

“Are you kidding? It has been weeks without a nomination.” Baekhyun put his hand on one of Sehun’s broad shoulder “Just think about it. You don’t need to accept it but just yesterday you told me how all these cliques sickened you, right?”

“Is this some kind of revenge?”

“I'm doing you a huge favor!

After their little discussion, they went to their next class.

Mr. Kim walked in and told everyone to sit. “Now. Before we start announcements, I want everyone to give a big round of applause to Sehun. Thanks to him, you do not have to hear me telling you about the elections—“

Junmyeon interrupted him. “So new kid.” He glared at Sehun. “Let me see if I got this right. You haven't even been here a week and you think you got what it takes to be class president?”

“I'm just as surprised as you are.”

“You are new, You know no one. We barely know you. Who would nominate you?”

Baekhyun flinched reflexively, knocking his pencil case to the floor. He knelt to pick it up, hitting his head on the edge of his desk as he sat up. With a loud crash, all his books fell into the floor. When he finally got back to his seat, everyone was staring at him.

“Now the mystery is solved, we can move on.” Mr. Kim leaned back against his desk. “Is there anyone who would like to nominate another candidate?”

“Bullshit.” One of Junmyeon’s monkeys said.

“Minho,” Mr. Kim said mildly. “Could you explained yourself in a more appropriate way?”

 “This is only for him to create a crappy history for his stupid newspaper!”

“It's not stupid!” Baekhyun stood up, sending his notebook to the floor again. “We take our stories seriously! I didn’t nominate Sehun for the newspaper! I did it for the school!”

Half of the class scoffed. “For the school?” Junmyeon said.

“Maybe you didn’t read last week’s editorial, but—“

“Nobody reads it.”

Baekhyun decided to ignore that comment and kept saying. “the number of students late for school or skipping class increased dramatically. We are acting how everyone expects us to act. We are just proving parents and teachers that teenagers can't be mature. That’s why I nominated Sehun because we need someone that cares about making a difference and he is not afraid to speak up. So there.” Baekhyun sat down.

Some of the classmates laughed.

“I guess he is right.” Yixing shrugged.

“No, he is not.” Junmyeon shook his head. “We voted for Kris. We should get Kris. Are we a stereotype? I don’t care—“

“Stop right there,” Mr. Kim interrupted him. ”That’s a personal opinion about Kris. He and Zi Tao are no longer students, the class needs a new class president—“

“Says who?” Junmyeon stood, crossing his arms across his chest. “We voted for Kris. Him or nothing.”

“I second Sehun for president.”

The class turned to stare.

Minji leaned back in her chair. “We didn’t decide. You decided, rich boy. You want to make the decision for us, you run for president.” There was a murmur that sounded like agreement.

“Great, the loser and the emo. But you know, that is not a bad idea. We should have a president who actually knows how things work around here” Junmyeon said. “Someone like me.”

“I nominate Joohyun!” Everyone stared at Jongin.

“Joohyun?”

“Me?” Joohyun’s pretty face was proof that you didn’t need permission to nominate a candidate. “I can't be class president!”

“Why not?” Jongin turned to her. “You wrote Kris’ campaign speech for him. You know this school, you're organized and you care about the formal.”

Joohyun bit her lips. “I don’t know. Hmm” Her gazed traveled the room, fell on Baekhyun and suddenly she nodded. “I accept the nomination.”

 “Two candidates! This is truly impressive! Does anyone want a third? No? Then I will keep on the class.”

They all opened their books. Baekhyun glanced over at Sehun. _Was I the only one who’d noticed he hasn’t accepted his nomination?_ Baekhyun thought.

 

-

 

By the time Baekhyun arrived at art class, Mrs. Choi had given permission to use the period to make campaign posters. Sehun was at the center of a ring of girls who giggled as they worked.

“Can I speak to Sehun for a moment?” Baekhyun asked the girls. They all nodded.

“But you are not allowed to make him move." Sooyoung said.

Sehun’s lips twitched in what might have been a smile. “What’s up?”

“Being nominated. I mean, you didn’t even accept it—“

“That rich guy who threw the tantrum decided for me. I don’t think I could handle a year of him telling me what to do.”

Baekhyun felt relieved and smile. “Really?”

“Junmyeon’s a jerk, anyway.” One of the girls said frowning at her drawing. “I don’t know why we let him get away with things. He is not even that cute.”

“He is rich, dating a senior and one of the most intelligent in school.”

“She’s pity-dating him. He’s only boyfriend number three.”

“Boyfriend number three?” Sehun asked.

“Yeah. Guys do it. So why can't we? You are for equality, right?” Yerim told him.

“Yeah, but I didn’t imagine equality like that.”

“If only people were more open and honest and accepting of each other’s needs and desires, the world would be a better place." Sooyoung said.

“Does he even know he’s boyfriend three?”

“No. He thinks he’s number two.” They all laughed.

“So, how many boyfriends does Baekhyun have?” Sehun asked quickly before they changed the topic, curiosity obvious in his face.

“Me?” Baekhyun said.

“Zero,” Sooyoung said. “Not since he was dumped by the basketball team.”

Sehun blinked. “The team?”

“Not like that!” Baekhyun hurry to answer, feeling his face hot. He was definitely blushing.

“Mr. Byun, that’s not classroom volume.”

“Sorry, Mrs. Choi.” Baekhyun sat down. “It was not the basketball team. I was dating Yixing.”

“And he dumped you because his teammates made him. Therefore—“ Nayeon smirked.

“You don’t know that.” Baekhyun hissed. “Maybe I wasn’t a very good boyfriend. Maybe we fought. Maybe he was already planning on dumping me. You don’t know.”

“I don’t know why he would do that,” Sehun said in an almost whisper. But before they could all react, Mrs. Choi gave them a warning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here next chapter! Please comment what you think and if there's any doubt or anything feel free to ask! :D Thank you! XOXO
> 
> ps. I will be busy the next two weeks so I'll probably upload the next two chapters tomorrow and Sunday's night :D Tell me if it's all right! Or you would like to wait? 


	6. Posters And Interviews.

Baekhyun as a member of the newspaper club was obligated to interview all the candidates for the presidency. So right now he is in a class room with the beautiful Joohyun.

“The more I think about it, the happier I am to be nominated,” Joohyun said with a smile on her face. “The other day Jongin and I were talking about your article just before the class. I think that’s why he nominated me.”

“My article?”

Joohyun nodded. “I know everyone thinks that I'm super busy or whatever but I really want people to trust me that I can help them with the formal and that I want to have a good time as much as them—“

“But you don’t need to beat yourself up over that,” Jongin said. “You can’t do everything, Joo. You are not a super hero.”

Baekhyun didn’t understand why interviewing Joohyun necessitated interviewing Jongin too, but he guessed those two were always together so right now it wouldn’t be an exception.

Joohyun gave Jongin and understanding look and smiled. “Anyway, Baekhyun. You are the one making the questions; what do you want to ask?”

“Actually, I want to stick with the fact that you don’t seem to have tons of time. You make straight A’s, you are the cheerleader captain, you are always helping other clubs. You are obviously qualified for class president, but, Do you have time?”

“You can always make time.” Joohyun assured him.

“Great answer, Are you sure you're not a super hero?”

Joohyun laughed. “Don’t you start, Baekhyun. You are supposed to be impartial.”

“I can be impressed and still impartial.” Baekhyun turned his page on his notebook. “What are your goals as a class president?”

“Making sure the winter formal is a success for everyone. That’s what everyone cares about.”

“And you believe you can do that?”

“Totally. If there's one thing I'm good at, its committees.”

“You’ve never been to one of Joo’s parties,” Jongin said. “She knows how to have a good time.”

“He’s just being too nice.”

“Aren't you worried that it might be hard to create an event that will appeal to all different student groups?”

“Not at all. I have work with must of our school’s groups and I'm confident I can coordinate a formal everyone will enjoy.”

Baekhyun had a hard time imagining Joohyun having a problem with anything or anyone. “I hate to ask this, I really do, but—“

“Kris? It's okay.” Joohyun looked down at her delicate hands. “Of course I'm upset about what happened, but I think it's time to move on. And like Jongin said in class, I know what Kris’ campaign was built on, so I can carry it on.”

“Are you still dating?”

Joohyun shook her head.

“I'm sorry—“

“Don’t apologize. In some ways, it’s a good thing. I mean, If Kris and I were dating, I wouldn’t have time for this.”

Jongin snorted. "Your workload would be exactly the same. The only difference is now you get credit for it.”

“Jongin! You are so mean.”

“Just looking out for you. Joo, why don’t you go ahead and get us seats in history?” Jongin put his hand on Baekhyun’s preventing him from standing. “I want to have a word with  Baek.” He kept his hand where it was until the door had shut behind Joohyun. “I recorded this entire interview.”

“You what?”

“If anything appears in your article that Joo did not say, I’m taking this to the principal.”

Baekhyun was angry. He slammed his hands on the table as he stood. “Are you accusing me of making stuff up?”

“You’ve always been better at fiction than fact, Baekhyun.” Jongin grabbed his things. “Though not even very good at that, right?” He walked out.

“Hey! I don’t know where you get off accusing me of—“

Baekhyun paused Jongin had come to a halt in front of him. Peeking around him, he could see why.

Yerim stood in the middle of the hall. She’d just taken hold of Sehun’s blazer collar, and as everyone watched, she went to her tiptoes to press her mouth against his.

Sehun made a small noise of surprise, the only sound in the entire hall. Yerim stepped back and gently pat Sehun on his cheek. “I'll see you after school,” she said. “To work on your campaign.”

As she sashayed away, the rest of the hall exploded into chatter, as if to prove they hadn't been staring.

Jongin snorted “That’s _one_ way to get votes. Going to include that in your election write up, Baekhyun?”

That question brought Baekhyun back to his senses and he couldn’t help to notice the feeling in his chest and how the word jealousy was taking over his mind.

 

-

 

_Sent_

The election report was done. Jongin couldn’t accuse him of bias. His candidate profile on Joohyun was as polished as her. She’d have no problems running for president—if Sehun wasn’t running agaisnt her.

Baekhyun sighed. Sehun's campaign groups didn’t have all that much time to prepare for the election. They’d probably be hard at work even now. Then he remembered the incident of before.

“You're being ridiculous. You knew this would happen!” He told himself.

He just hadn't expected it to happen so fast.

No, there was no need to dwell. Sehun getting a girlfriend was inevitable. There were other more productive ways of spending his time than wondering if he had enjoyed kissing Yerim. Or how it would felt to kiss Sehun’s lips, and hug him, and pass his fingers through his hair, and having Sehun touching all of his body at the most intimate time--. Stop. His article was completed; He had homework to do.

The doorbell rang. Baekhyun went to answer it. “Sehun? What are you doing here?”

He held up a DVD. “You told me to start watching more movies right? I was wondering if you wanted to join me.”

 

\--

 

On Wednesday morning Baekhyun walked through the school. Seunghee got permission to do a pre-election special. A simple broadsheet featuring each candidate’s platform and interview on either side. The halls looked dim even at midday. This early in the morning, the light seemed even more inadequate.

Baekhyun smirked as he passed the election posters. They were everywhere. Sehun’s were a mishmash of different styles. He’d refused to let his photo be taken, so his campaign posters were mostly text based, urging people to “Vote Sehun!”

Joohyun’s had a photo of herself holding one of the many trophies she’d won for the cheerleaders and her slogan “A winner for the school; A winner for you.” Simple but effective. The cheerleader uniform gave her more points showing her school spirit. Baekhyun paused to admire her poster when he noticed something.

“What the--?”

He stared at the poster, shocked. Someone had scrawled over the poster in sharpie “Biggest Bitch”. “But that’s vandalism!” Who would do such a thing? And to Joohyun? She would be so upset when she sees it!

 _If_ she saw it. He tugged the poster down, ripping it in half and then in half again It was only then he realized he should have kept it intact to show a teacher. Would _there be anyone in the teacher’s break room at this hour?_ Clutching the ripped pieces, he turned—

And came face to face with Jongin. “What are you doing?”

“Holy crap!” Baekhyun collided with the wall. “Jongin, where did you came from?”

“Answer the question.”

“It's not what it looks like. The poster—someone wrote on it.”

Jongin’s frown grew. “Show me.” As he held up the pieces, his mouth tightened. “And you just found it like this?”

“No. It was on the wall. I took it down and tore it up. I didn’t think; I was just shocked anyone would do this!”  Baekhyun noticed how Jongin’s hand clenched a tightly rolled up paper. “Wait. You found one too? Whats going on?”

“Someone’s playing malicious tricks on Joo.” Jongin showed Baekhyun he held several posters. “I had a feeling something like this might happen, so I came to school early today to check. Good thing, too. Whoever this is, I think they got every single one of her posters.”

“That’s horrible!”

“I've only done half the school. You’ve got to come with me so we can get the rest before anyone sees them. I'll take this side of the hall, and you do the other.”

“Right.” Baekhyun hurried after him.

Jongin worked quickly, his jaw set as he methodically took down every offending poster. Baekhyun glanced over his shoulder at him as he worked, trying to remember if he’d ever seen him so serious. “Not a word about this in your paper, Baekhyun, or to anyone, especially Joo.”

Jongin was that worried about her? “Wait. Yesterday, when you told me you’d recorded the interview—you thought it was me bullying Joohyun!”

“You were the most likely candidate,” Jongin said unapologetically. “No one in the school has a bigger reason to have a grudge against Joohyun’s group of friends and her than you, with, well…Yixing.”

“Tons of people have a reason to dislike them,” He reminded Jongin. “And yeah, I'm mad about Yixing, but if it was me, don’t you think I’d go after him?”

Jongin didn’t said anything.

Barkhyun stopped. “Is Yixing being harassed?”

“Look,” Jongin said, grabbing his arm. “I don’t know, so don’t get any stupid ideas. This has been going on awhile, and I noticed Yixing’s been acting odd, so I wondered…But this is none of your business. Or the paper’s business, Baekhyun. You got that?”

Slowly, Baekhyun nodded. “Got it.” It stung, but Jongin had a reason not to trust him. “So what will you do? Tell the teachers?”

“With how useless they are? No, I'm taking care of this my way. So if you don’t mind, I have a lot of posters to replace.” Jongin turn, walking away.

Baekhyun bit his lip. Jongin was kind of a jerk. But if he’d thought that it was Baekhyun bullying Joohyun…”Hey, Jongin? Do you have a good copy of Joohyun’s poster on you now?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Because the newspaper club has a meeting now, and we have a free access to the copies for our special edition.”

 

\--

Forget parachuting, skinny-dipping or Black Friday sales. Nothing is more adrenaline inducing than fighting a print deadline down to the very last second.

Baekhyun ran down the hall at full tilt toward the doors. He could see students already making their way up them. Hastily, he placed his prints in the newspaper stand. The rest of the club had come to help him. He heard the bells chime and the doors were thrown open.

“Out of the way, Freak.” Baekhyun was roughly shouldered aside.

He drew back against the wall for safety, rubbing his arm.

“There it is!”

Baekhyun flattened himself back against the wall as the stand was swarmed by girls. The paper was circulated, the girls turning quickly to the part that most interested them. “Nothing about a girlfriend—Baekhyun! Is it true what it says about Yerim?”

Suddenly the wall had gotten crowded. “Personal space, ladies!”

“You wouldn’t make that up, right?” _Of course, I wouldn’t._  

“He wouldn’t! He’s in the newspaper! That’s why no one likes him.” Jihyo tucked her hair behind her ear carelessly, “ ‘When questioned about his romantic life, Sehun only had this to say..that he respects and admires Yerim’s independent spirit too much to want to tie her down to the role of ‘girlfriend’. He is planning to devote himself to his studies, and if successful, the role of class president.’ You questioned him, Baekhyun?”

Still pressed against the wall and with no space to breathe, he had enough professional pride to be injured. “That’s a direct quote.”

Jihyo smirked, tucking her copy of the paper into her bag. “Let's go.”

As the girls walked down the hall, he could see a familiar figure. “Sehun!” He grabbed his bag and turned to the door only to bump into Yoobin.

“Geez, I'm so sorry—“ He paused.

She was usually serious but he had never seen her with such an expression. She took a deep breath and walked out the door, heading toward Sehun.

Sehun smiled at her as he saw her, slowing his steps as she approached. Baekhyun couldn’t hear what they said, but he didn’t need to. Yoobin looked down, nervous as she played with a strand of hair, Sehun was his usual charming self, He nodded and smiled, the action reflecting in his eyes.

With difficulty, he forced himself to step away from the door and walk toward his first-period class. Not everything that Sehun did was newspaper business but still made Baekhyun curious. And jealous.

 

\--

Sehun was late to English. He was nearly late to Art.

The nervous energy that had sustained Baekhyun all morning had disappeared. He was lying on the desk, using his sketch book as a pillow, when he heard a scrape as the chair next to him was taken.

“Are you hoping Mrs. Choi will be so happy you’re not talking that she lets you sleep through drawing?”

Baekhyun opened his eyes. Not many people look good from below, but Sehun was one of those lucky few. “I think it's worth a try.” He paused. His plan would only work if he didn’t talk. But there was a reason he was in the newspaper. “That’s your second near miss this morning.”

“What?” Sehun was unpacking his bag.

Baekhyun sat up. “You were almost late. Not all teachers are as relax as Mr. Kim.”

“I know. I got told off by the Biology teacher. This was actually my fourth near miss.”

  “Whats going on? It’s not like the future class president to be late.”

“That’s exactly what the Biology teacher said.” Sehun winced. “I've been rushed off my feet since I got to school.” He glanced at Baekhyun. “You didn’t happen to write that I wanted a study partner did you?”

He shook his head. “No. Why?”

“I've had at least twelve girls and one guy offer to tutor me this morning alone,” Sehun said, positioning his sketchbook on his lap. “I figured it had something to do with you and your newspaper.”

“Not everything that happens to you is my fault.”

“No,” Sehun agreed. “Just most of it.”

Baekhyun paused. How was he supposed to argue that with Sehun smirking at him? “A lot of presidential candidates would be grateful to have such enthusiastic and unbiased press coverage.”

“I’m sure. Though on that note, I can't give you a campaign update tonight, Baekhyun. I've got plans.”

“Biology with Yoobin?” He shouldn’t have sounded like that. But it was inevitable.

“Jealous?”

“Not even a little.” _That didn’t sound convincing, Baekhyun._ He told himself.

“Don’t worry it won't be as fun as watching _Casablanca_ with you.”

Baekhyun paused a moment _. Were they flirting? No, it couldn’t be._ “How someone who has the worlds best films right there in his living room never got around to watching any of them.”

“I guess I've never been a fan of watching films alone.”

 

\--

At Lunch, Sehun collected his tray and walked across the cafeteria, apparently blind to all the girls trying to get his attention, until he reached Yerim. “Is this seat taken?”

Yerim only needed a moment to gain composure. “It’s a free country.”

Sehun sat down, leaning slightly toward her. A moment later, Yerim laughed. The rest of the table shared their mood of hilarity. All eyes were on them.

“Seriously. He has to be magic. He doesn’t just turn Yerim down in a way that allows her to save social face, but sits with her at lunch so everyone can see they're totally cool.” Baekhyun shook his head. “Who does that?”

Minji rolled her eyes. “God, Baekhyun. You like him so much; why don’t you ask him on a study date?”

Baekhyun removed his gaze from the scene in front to give Minji his best hurt look. “My interest in Sehun is purely professional. I'm a journalist; he's a story.”

Minji smiled sweetly at him. “That’s how you lie to yourself? What happens when he’s no longer your story?”

“Wow. Just because you hate everything isn't a reason to bring me down.”

“On the contrary, what better reason is there?” Minji smirked, ending the conversation.

It was an odd day. Minji usually ignored him, preferring to listen to her 80’s rock songs, but here she was, with a question that made Baekhyun doubt himself even more.

He looked over to the “popular” table. Junmyeon was glaring at the back of Sehun’s head, speaking out of the side of his mouth to his friends. They laughed loudly, but Baekhyun noticed Yixing frown.

Jongin ignored them completely, talking energetically to Jenny and Lisa, who listened with their disinterest. Joohyun nodded occasionally, attention clearly elsewhere. Probably planning her campaign speech. Sehun wasn’t the only one with magic.

Baekhyun finished his lunch later and noticed how Joohyun wasn’t there anymore, he didn’t pay much attention to it and went to the classroom he had used to interview.

“Baekhyun?”

“Joohyun! I didn’t know anyone was in here!”

Joohyun stared back at him. Her eyes were red and there was a smudgy trail down her cheeks. Her mouth opened, but she made no sound.

A loud clatter called Baekhyun’s attention to the students in the hall. He shut the door behind him. After a moment, he locked it.

Joohyun breathed out. “Thank you. I mean. I know I must look terrible, right now—“

“Not at all, Joohyun. What happened?”

“Nothing happened!”

“Was it the posters?”

Joohyun’s face fell. “How did you know?”

Too late. He remembered Jongin’s instructions to stay silent. “I saw one when I got to school. Jongin and I went around taking them down and replacing them, but we must have missed one.”

“No.” Joohyun pressed her lips together and shook her head. “It was pushed through my locker. I only found it now.” She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand. “You and Jongin? He didn’t say anything to me about it.”

“He didn’t want you to know. I guess he didn’t want you distracted on the final day of your campaign.”

“That is so Jongin, Baek, you don’t even know.” Joohyun took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  “And you helped him? That’s awfully sweet of you, Baekhyun.”

“Of course. But, seriously, are you okay?”

Joohyun nodded. “It's all right. Whenever something horrible like this happens, something nice always happens to make it right. Knowing that you and Jongin worked really hard to take care of me, that’s really special.”

How was it possible that someone could be this together? “Where did you learn to be so mature?”

Joohyun laughed again. “It's not maturity. I sort of suspected something like this would happen. I know I can't make everyone happy and that trying to only wear me out, so I have to focus on whats important to me..and whats important is that I have friends like you, Jongin, Seulgi, Jenny, Lisa behind me. That’s way more important than someone’s jealousy.”

Baekhyun nodded. He felt the exact same about Seunghee, Chanyeol, Jongdae, and Minji.

Joohyun continued. “That’s what I really admire about you, Baekhyun. That you’re so strong and independent, and you do your own thing no matter what people say or think.”

“I do?”

“Standing up to the Coach took a lot of guts.”

“And you got your boyfriend kicked out of school.”

“It's no one’s fault but Kris’ that he got kicked off the team. Trust me. You did the right thing.” Joohyun stood up. “I wish I had your courage, If I didn’t care so much about making people happy, I might have been able to make him listen to me.” Joohyun it her lip. “I look like a mess, don’t I?”

“A hot mess?”

“I'm not sure that helps.” Joohyun took a small purse from her bag and spread the contents out on the table.

Baekhyun leaned forward, interestedly. He has always had a thing for makeup.

Joohyun studied herself in a fold-up mirror. “It could be worse.” She used concealer to patch up the puffy skin around her eyes and looked down at the implements on the table in front of her. “Do you know anything about makeup, Baekhyun?”

“You're kidding?

“Jenny and Seulgi always do it for me. I've got such a problem with eyeliner. Whenever I try it myself, I make a mess and end up looking like a raccoon.”

“You are lucky that I know a thing or two about makeup.”

He carefully applied the eyeliner and up-close Joohyun was even more beautiful, her clear skin made Baekhyun feel insecure.

“Thanks, Baekhyun. I really appreciate this.” As Joohyun stood, she impulsively stopped toward Baekhyun, arms out.

He returned the hug. This really was the weirdest day ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!!! And I'm so sorry!!! But now I'll upload more!! Please tell me what you think of this chapter!!! There weren't a lot of moments between Sehun and Baekhyun but we got to know more about Joohyun and how she feels about Baekhyun, Kris and being a candidate! Also we saw more about Jongin and how Baekhyun's feelings are more obvious! I'll update really soon~


	7. Election Day and Dogs.

Baekhyun walked out of the main entrance as a free man. Or as free as a high school student ever got.

He should have been thrilled. Instead, he was strangely dissatisfied. He had an entire evening to himself, and Netflix had just updated their new releases. The night was his!

But somehow the thought of spending his night alone on the couch didn’t appeal.

“Baekhyun! Over here!”

Joohyun stood behind two long tables set up on one side of the path leading to the school gates. Sehun was with her, along with Sooyoung and Yerim, a few members of the hockey team, Jongin and others. A little further down the path, keeping an eye on proceedings was Mr. Kim. Also present but disappearing rapidly were a vast amount of cupcakes.

“What’s going on?”

“What election would be complete without rampant bribery?” Jongin’s tone was superior, but he had frosting on his cheek.

Joohyun elbowed him composedly. “It’s not bribery if we’re both doing it. Show Baekhyun the sign.”

It was propped against the table, half-hidden by milling students. It proclaimed “Don’t vote on an Empty Stomach! Joohyun (and Sehun) for President! Cupcakes for you!” The “and Sehun” had been added in sharpie.

“I was thinking how kind you were to help me this morning even though Sehun’s your candidate.” Joohyun handed Baekhyun a napkin. “And I thought I’d return the favor by sharing my publicity with Sehun. Do you like vanilla or chocolate, Baekhyun? What am I saying—you get one of each!”

Baekhyun accepted the cupcakes in confusion. “I didn’t do that much.”

“It meant a lot to me—and Sehun. He wasn’t going to accept my invitation, said it didn’t feel right when I’d worked so hard on the cupcakes, but when I told him what you’d done, he changed his mind.”

“Really?” Baekhyun looked down the table to where Sehun was nodding in response to something a senior jock was saying. He looked perfectly natural talking to the older student.

“We have to got to go out for coffee some time, Baekhyun. I want to hear all about Sehun.”

That drew his attention back to Joohyun instantly. “You do?”

“Joohyun! Sorry, we’re late—is there still a chance to help?”

“Jenny! Seulgi!” Joohyun’s face lit up. “You came after all?”

“What else are friends for?” Jenny looked up and down the table. “If it hadn't been such a short notice, I’d have come over last night to help you bake.”

“It's all right,” Joohyun assured her. “You know I love baking.”

“No better stress relief, right?” Seulgi rested a single, perfectly manicured finger against the table. “I don’t know if I’d have made quite so much vanilla personally…But I expect it'll work out.”

Baekhyun drifted down the table, Sehun was still in the conversation, chatting members of the basketball team, but he caught his eye as he passed. “Good luck for tomorrow!”

Sehun nodded, giving him a wave. “See you then, Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun ate the cupcake slowly. Was there anything Joohyun couldn't do? (besides her eyeliner). Between her overachieving and Sehun’s natural perfection, the outcome of tomorrow’s vote was anyone’s guess. But it wasn’t the election that worried Baekhyun.

Was he the only one who’d seen it? Sehun’s thoughtfulness and maturity, Joohyun’s drive and big heart. There was no better match in all school. No matter who won the election tomorrow, the two of them would be spending a lot of time together as president and vice president. It was, he decided, inevitable.

And when they found their happy ending?

He bit his lip. He could already hear Seunghee. “Happily ever after isn’t news, Baekhyun.” Once Sehun and Joohyun realized their overwhelming compatibility…

_“What happens when he’s no longer your story?”_

“So, I'll go onto the next story.” But he knew that no story would compete with Sehun. How could it? What sporting victory, student achievement, or generous donation from the previous graduates could even approach Sehun’s near universal appeal? Other students were good-looking, talented or both. Sehun simply possed an innate quality that gave everything he did significance.“ Sehun could drop a pencil and create a story—“

Baekhyun gasped. What if this was it? The peak of his career as a journalist? Sehun and Joohyun’s blossoming romance was the death knell of his writing career. And feelings—N _o, not that_.

 

\--

 

The election took place during the second period on Thursday. Baekhyun sat with the rest of his class in the auditorium, watching Sehun and Joohyun being complemented by the principal on their community spirit. How long was an appropriate amount of time to wait before running an article on their compatibility? Or would it be better to feign ignorance as long as possible in order to keep interest in the paper going?

A finger jabbed into his ribs, and he yelped, drawing glares from the teachers sitting on stage.

“Move over, Baek. Don’t make such a fuss.” Chanyeol barely gave him time to move his bag from the seat next to him before he sat.

“What are you doing here? You’ve got class!”

“What and miss this? Seunghee wanted me to check it,” Chanyeol looked on the stage with interest, seizing both candidates, His notebook was already on his lap. “So that’s the famous Sehun.”

Baekhyun smirked as Sehun stood. “Just wait. He deserves all the hype.”

There was not a single cough, scrape of a chair being moved or whispered comment as Sehun spoke, and a huge applause broke out as he finished. With a smile and a nod, Sehun made way for Joohyun. Baekhyun couldn’t help but feel a little bit of jealousy. He settled back in his chair and became aware that Chanyeol was watching not Sehun but him.

“What?”

Chanyeol shook his head and smile. “I was wondering if Sehun was attractive. Guess that answers it. You should ask him out.”

Baekhyun decided to ignore him.

They voted on the way out of the auditorium. The announcement was made in the cafeteria at lunch. Sehun was announced class president and Joohyun vice president to thunderous applause.

“Sehun! Congratulations!”

“Oh my god, you did it!”

Sooyoung and Yerim swarmed him excitedly, followed by the other classmates. Baekhyun hung back, watching Sehun shake hands and being slapped on the back with mingled pride and sadness. It had happened, just like he’d known it would. Sehun was popular.

“Never mind, Joo! You did your best.” Baekhyun looked over his shoulder to see Jenny consoling Joohyun.

“Vice president isn't that bad.” Lisa agreed, looking at her nail. “Better luck next year.”

_Was that really what friends should be saying right now?_

In that moment Sehun acted, holding out his hand to Joohyun. “Congratulations, vice president. I'm looking forward to working with you.”

“Likewise,” Joohyun said. “On both parts. Let me know when you have time to talk. I have some great ideas for the formal.”

Sehun raised an eyebrow. “You weren't exaggerating being committed to your projects.”

Jongin snorted. “Joo’s commitment should never be underestimated. “ But his voice was warm. He definitely liked Sehun.

“We'll need to organize a committee,” Joohyun continued. “I already drew up a list of venues to consider, and—“

“Did you forget we have a special practice after school?” Lisa nudged Joohyun. “We're working out that new cheer.”

“That’s not going to take all afternoon,” Joohyun said. “After—“

“But you promise to help me with my essay!” Jenny protested. “And Lisa’s math homework—we were busy all yesterday helping you.”

Joohyun bit her lip.

“You know what,” Sehun said. “I'll give you my phone number. That way, you can get in touch whenever you have time.”

Baekhyun couldn’t help it. It didn’t feel right. Joohyun had just accomplished what no girl in school had—acquiring Sehun’s number! Long night conversation into the early hours of the morning…Hopefully, they would keep up a professional front at school so the rest of us weren't sick with envy and jealousy—

Suddenly Baekhyun was on the cafeteria floor with a lap full of food.

“Extra, extra! School sneak reaches new low!” Minho, one of Junmyeon’s rats said. “Newspaper so hungry for news you’re searching for table scraps now?”

“Don’t worry. I won't be reporting you anytime soon.”

He frowned. Baekhyun took advantage of his pause to scoop up as much of his lunch as he could and go.

Sehun found him in the bathroom picking food out of his hair. “I didn’t see what happen, but are you okay?”

“No. I'm mad at myself.” Baekhyun made a face at his reflection. _Ugly._ He thought. “With how often it happens, I should have a good comeback ready.”

“Stay still for one second—“ Sehun reached over. Baekhyun felt a gentle pressure on his hair and closed his eyes, a moment later, Sehun dropped a piece of food in the sink. “There.”

“Thanks.” It was impossible for Baekhyun not to blush with how close Sehun was standing. He could feel his body heat. He swallowed. _Play it cool. Impress Sehun with your commitment to your projects._ “Any chance of an exclusive interview with our new class president?”

Sehun snorted. “If there’s only one paper, isn't everything you write an exclusive?”

“Don’t ruin the illusion. Well?”

“Someone else beat you. Tall, with a dork smile and kinda annoying, not as much as you, though.”

“Hey!” Baekhyun playfully hit Sehun on his arm. “Chanyeol? How could he?”

“He didn’t tell me his name. Just launched into his questions. The interview was over before I knew I was being interviewed.”

“Definitely, Chanyeol.”

“It's all right. I have a different headline for you.”

“What is it?”

Sehun stepped back, spreading out his arms as if setting out an imaginary front page. “Class President Celebrates Victory by Watching Movie with Friend.”

“At least it’s a descriptive headline,” Baekhyun said slowly. “But it should have a hook.” And because he couldn’t help it. “Who’s the friend?”

Sehun looked at him.

Baekhyun felt himself turning pink. “Just checking. Your choice or mine?”

 

\--

 

 _They're more afraid of you than you are of them._ Baekhyun told himself firmly. _They're more afraid of you._ Which must have the two big Boxers _terrified._ Keeping his eyes on the dogs, he opened the coffee shop door. Immediately, the larger of the two beasts lumbered towards him. He stepped backward and collided with Sehun.

“Oof! Some warning, Baekhyun!”

 “Don’t blame me! Blame it!” The dogs stood there, mouths open to display a slavering pink tongue and with teeth _. Now they were acting all innocent._

Sehun shifted to stand beside him in the doorway. “Baekhyun. Are you…afraid of dogs?”

“No! I like dogs! Especially the ones who are small and can’t kill me.” He clutched his notebook tightly. “I'm just…careful around the big ones.”

“Careful.”

“Extremely careful.” He looked back at the hellhound. The second, smaller one stretched and joined its companion looking at them with dark eyes, shining with hunger. “Dogs are unpredictable. You never know when they're going to jump on your back or worse.”

“These dogs are not going to bark,” Sehun said. “Look at them.”

“I am looking at them.”

Sehun snorted. “Why are we here if you don’t like dogs? There are other coffee shops. No, let me guess—the newspaper’s involved.”

Baekhyun nodded, carefully inching his way inside the shop. “Owners patronize local art scene. This month it's photography. Our art club has a few pieces up and”—the big dog padded towards Baekhyun, and he froze— “Oh god.”

“Baekhyun, relax. He’s just being friendly.”

“Too friendly!” The dog’s nose was in his crotch. “If he was a human, this would be a reportable offense!”

Sehun rolled his eyes and crouched down by the dog’s est of blankets. “Just as well he’s a dog then. Here boy.”

Baekhyun’s nightmare lifted his ears and turned, passing eagerly toward Sehun.

Sehun grinned, running his fingers through both dogs’ fur. “How about this for a plan: I distract; you get your story.”

Baekhyun didn’t even think about it. “Deal.” He made his way to the back wall and the photo exhibit.

It was an easy article. He took a few shots of the exhibits and turned to see one beast lying on his back, tongue lolling out of his mouth as Sehun rubbed his stomach, the smaller creature resting its head on his lap.

Baekhyun took a photo.

 

 

“You didn’t need to buy me coffee,” Sehun said as they left.

“You earned that coffee,” Baekhyun told him, holding his own cup of caramel latte. “Without you, I’d have been eaten for sure.”

“They were really nice dogs,” Sehun said. “They would not have eaten you.”

“Says you.” Relief at his near escape was making him giddy. Occasionally, his hand brushed Sehun’s arm as they walked, or he bumped against his shoulder. Every time it did, he felt a new rush of warmth. “Did you decide on and a movie?”

“It’s a tough choice,” Sehun said. “I'm stuck between two.”

“What are they?”

“ _Beverly Hills Chihuahua_ or _Beethoven_.”

“Mean.” Baekhyun gave him a glare and paused. “If you are going to make me watch a dog movie, how about _Old Yeller_? At least that one has a happy ending.”

“Now who’s mean?”

 

\--

 

At the end, they did not watch any of those movies. Instead, they watched an old classic— _Gone with the wind_. The final credits were rolling, and Baekhyun was wondering if they had time for a second film when there was a knock at the door.

Sehun’s mother; who until now was working on the table, answered it. “Another school friend, Sehun.”

“This is Joohyun,” Sehun said. “She’s here to discuss the winter formal. Mind if we take the table?”

“Of course not.” His mom packed up her laptop and files.

Baekhyun watched as Joohyun opened her own binder. “I guess I'll say good night and leave it to you.”

“You don’t have to go, Baekhyun,” Joohyun said. “These things are always better with extra support.”

Sehun nodded. “And if there's something you're not lacking in, its ideas.”

Baekhyun was tempted—very tempted. But there was no use prolonging the inevitable. “You two should get used to working as a team. Besides, I've got an article to write.”

“Speaking of the paper…” Joohyun took a piece of loose-leaf from her file. “Could you run this for me? It’s a call for volunteers for the formal committee. Sehun, you look at it first.”

Sehun glanced over the paper before handing it to me. “How did you have time to cheerlead, tutor your friends, and write a call for volunteers?”

“I used my study period. It didn’t take me that long. One committee is pretty much like another.”

“When do you plan to study?”

“At nights. Don’t worry, I'm used to it.”

 

 

Baekhyun came back to his apartment. Feeling hunger he spread a piece of toast with _Nutella,_ trying not to imagine what Joohyun and Sehun were discussing next door.

 _Inevitable._ He remembered himself firmly. _I’d still see Sehun in classes. So there was no reason to feel like this was the end._

 

\--

 

Sehun’s first day as class president went perfectly.

“I think we can congratulate ourselves,” Jongdae said. “This last week has been a roller-coaster, but we’ve boosted circulation, raised awareness, and cemented the paper’s place at the school. In summary, we fucking rock.”

Baekhyun was still brooding over the changes made to my article. “I don’t see why you had to cut so much. It wasn’t over the word count.”

“The references to slavering animals and fearsome beasts had to go. They detracted from the direction of the article.”

“The students of this school deserve to be warned—“

The classroom door opened. Two girls stood outside, looking nervous.

Baekhyun took a deep breath. _They're more afraid of you than you are of them._ “This is the newspaper club.?”

“How do we join?”

By the time the meeting finished, the club had two new members and four old.

 

\--

 

Given Sehun and Joohyun were at the helm, it was no surprise at all that the formal committee had volunteers already. When Baekhyun arrived, only five minutes late, the classroom was already full.

Sehun looked up from where he sat at the teacher’s desk and nodded, but Joohyun was in full-on organization mode.

“Joohyun and I put together a short list of themes to vote on today. I made a few mockups last night to give an idea of what we’re talking about. Look at the screen, please.”

“A magical theme is an obvious choice with all the popularity Unicorns have right now.” Sehun conceded. “A purple, pink and blue theme and glitter would be easy to do. We’re also close to Christmas, so a holiday theme’s another good option. But I know it’s a little used. So we came with our third option.”

He clicked the next slide, and the trees and stars were replaced with a smiling Audrey Hepburn.

“Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” Sehun explained. “A return to Hollywood’s golden age. Glamorous ladies, sharply dressed men, a hint of intrigue and lot of style.”

There was an instant excited buzz of conversation around Baekhyun. “Yes. That one.”

“I vote for that one, too!”

Sehun paused. “We have other suggestion—“

Jongin stood. “Hands up; all in favor of Breakfast at Tiffany’s?”

The vote was unanimous. Sehun smiled at Baekhyun.

 

\--

 

 

“Baekhyun wait!”

Baekhyun obediently turned back. So did most of the hall. Sehun had that effect on people. “What’s up?” He asked as Sehun fell into step beside him.

“I wanted to thank you for giving us the idea for the formal theme—“

It was a struggle to remind himself he was filled with guts and intestines and not pure helium. “I think you and Joohyun did that.”

“And offer you a place on the committee.”

“What, really? Me?”

Sehun nodded. “We’ll need someone to coordinate coverage of the event with the school newspaper. Joohyun and I agreed that there was no better person for the job.”

Words Baekhyun never thought he’d hear from Sehun. There was just one tiny detail preventing this from being the greatest moment of his high school life to date. “In here,” He tugged Sehun into the nearest classroom. Fortunately, it was empty.

“If you're going to ask me on a study date—“

“You’ve got lipstick. Here.” Baekhyun pointed to his face.

Sehun put his hand on his cheek. “Oh.”

Everything Sehun did was so collected and perfect; He’d never imagined he could blush. “Let me.” Baekhyun grabbed a tissue from the box on the teacher’s desk and dabbed at his cheek. “Who was it? Sooyoung? Yoobin?”

“None of your business.” Sehun turned redder and redder.

“I'm obligated to ask,” Baekhyun dropped the tissue in the wastebasket. “This is a good thing. You’ll have no problem finding a date for the formal.”

Sehun groaned. “I hadn't thought about that.”

“Really?” How can you—that is the entire point of a formal!”

“Do I have to remind you, I’m not at school to find a date?” Sehun folded his arms across his chest.

“I keep forgetting you were homeschooled.” Baekhyun frowned at Sehun as a thought occurred to him. “Is this your first dance?”

“Maybe.”

“Your first dance! Sehun, this is amazing. The article practically writes itself!”

“Is it really that weird?” Sehun caught sight of Baekhyun’s expression and sighed. “At least stress that I am not actively looking for a girlfriend! I want to study—not whatever you are thinking of right now, Baekhyun.”

“Mm.” With the winter formal officially happening, the hunt for partners is on! No one is immune, not even a newly elected class president, Sehun—

“Do not try to find me a date. Are you listening? Don’t find me a date!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I posted a chapter two days ago but I was gone for so long and I already had this. Next week I go back to school so It'll be a little difficult to update but I'll try to do it everyFridayy. 
> 
> I'm pretty sure that we are halfway done with the story and let me tell you that next chapter will be a roller coaster of feelings! This one is more like the calm before the storm. I just saw a comment that said they wanted angst and I just have to say be careful of what you wish! :p 
> 
> So, here we had some cute moments between Baekhyun and Sehun that I'm pretty sure you all wanted! plus some interactions between Chan and Baek AND we got to know who the class president will be! Any thoughts? 
> 
> Please comment and tell me your thoughts! that really inspires me and if I don't see any I become nervous and think you are not liking it :c Tell me your thoughts and feelings! Thanks! XOXO :)


	8. Kisses and Fights.

CLASS PRESIDENT WITHOUT A DATE.

Sehun threw the newspaper on the cafeteria table. “What is this?”

It was lunchtime. Tuesday. Sehun had missed school on Monday. In that time, whatever immunization to Sehun’s impact Baekhyun had gained had been lost. He stared up at Sehun, feeling his presence like a shock.

“Well? Baekhyun, I’m waiting.”

Baekhyun swallowed. “I didn’t say anything about you looking for a date—“

“It’s heavily implied!”

“I quoted you directly—“

“And then undercut that immediately by talking about how new I am to high school life! You make it sound like I just need the right person to come along and change my mind!”

Baekhyun glanced around. Minji, Chanyeol, and Jongdae were staring. Students at the tables nearest them paused to watch them, but their quarrel had not reached the “popular” table at the front of the cafeteria. He could feel his anxiety taking over. The glance of everyone judging him. He didn’t know what to do. “You wanted me to write about the formal—“

“About the formal! Not me! Since getting to school this morning, I haven't had a minute to myself! I can't even take a study break without someone interrupting—“

“I'm generating interest in the formal! You're interesting!” Sehun’s face was taking on a dangerous expression. Baekhyun knew he should drop it but somehow was unable to stop himself from talking. “We’re encouraging people to participate in the formal, right? You and Joohyun are students leaders, and you're leading by example by going to the formal, therefore you going to the formal is news!”

“But can't you write about it in away that doesn’t focus on my love life?!” Sehun lowered his voice at the smaller to hiss at him. “I had to turn three girls down this morning—three! One of them cried!”

“If you're too worried about disappointing people, you should choose a date for the formal soon.” Baekhyun resisted the urge to glance and see if Joohyun was watching this. “Joohyun’s single, and you already know her. Better ask her quickly before Jongin does—“

Sehun’s mouth thinned out in a flat line. “Why? So you can write about it in the paper?”

“I—“ Baekhyun’s fight-or-flight reflex was jammed. He seemed to be stuck in one spot, watching as Sehun pushed the table aside and grabbed his arm.

“If you're that interested in my love life—“ Sehun hauled Baekhyun on his feet so quickly that his head spun. He thought he was going to fall. Then wasn’t thinking at all. Sehun’s mouth was on his.

The first moment of contact was so strong, his legs almost gave in. Sehun’s mouth was hot, his kiss forceful. Taken entirely unexpectedly, Baekhyun clutched Sehun’s blazer to steady himself, bringing his bodies into collision. This second contact brought surprise. Pressed against Sehun’s chest. He felt again the warmth of seeing him being congratulated but stronger, so strong he couldn’t keep it in. Baekhyun melted, relaxing against him.

When he gave away, Sehun did too. His hold on his arm relaxed, and his mouth took on a softer aspect. His hand lingered on Baekhyun’s side, and he shifted as Sehun did, attuned to his presence. Suddenly, Baekhyun understood. His interest in Sehun was definitely not professional.

There was a metallic clatter. Someone had dropped their fork.

Sehun pushed him back.

Baekhyun lurched unsteadily, his mind struggling to process what had happened. “What—“

Sehun looked around the cafeteria. His gaze returned to Baekhyun and his lip curled. “Write about _that._ ” He shook off Baekhyun’s arm and stalked out of the cafeteria.

Baekhyun tried to sit and missed. Next thing he knew, he was on his back on the floor of the cafeteria.

“Geez, Baekhyun. Are you okay?” Minji peered down at him. “Do you need the nurse?”

“Nurse?”

Chanyeol and Jongdae bent over him. “Give me the headline” Chanyeol said.

“Uh.” It was a struggle to put words to what he’d just experienced. “ _Kiss or Out-of-Body Experience? Reporter Unsure.”_

“He’s fine,” Jongdae reported. “Let's get him out of here.”

The three of them took an arm of each and dragged him outside under the trees. Baekhyun leaned against the cool stone of the school exterior, willing his heart to return to normal. “He kissed me. In the cafeteria." He swallowed. “In front of everyone.”

“Not quite everyone.” Jongdae hastily jotted down notes. “The seniors are in class. Not everyone eats lunch in the cafeteria. There’s still an audience—“

Minji snorted, crossing her arms. “An outburst like that is not going to wait until your next issue.”

Chanyeol frowned. “The angle—“

“Was perfect.” Sehun had leaned towards Baekhyun gently, his mouth firm but not insistent. Baekhyun’s body had inclined the same way, as naturally as if he’d found a new center of gravity. He brushed his fingers against his mouth, checking that he hadn't imagined that.

“Are you sure he’s okay?” Minji asked.

“Okay is relative. The question here is why.” Chanyeol said.

It slowly occurred to Baekhyun that his friends were watching him. “Why?”

“Why did Sehun kiss you? You're not dating. There’s no way we wouldn’t know that you were dating.”

“It’s Baekhyun. There's no way the entire school wouldn’t know if they were dating.” Minji folded her arms. “Sehun was annoyed about Baekhyun’s articles. Looks like he got sick of people speculating, decided to give them something to speculate about.”

Baekhyun came down to earth with a thud. Minji was right. His gravitational axis might be askew, but there was nothing wrong with Sehun’s.

“By kissing Baekhyun?” Jongdae weighed him. “They will definitely be asking questions now. Is Sehun even gay?”

“I—don’t know.” Someone as perfect as Sehun had to be straight. That was how things went. Toast falls butter side down the day you forget your umbrella is the day it rains, the super-hot guy is never single. But that kiss—

It was hard to ignore the evidence of that kiss.

“He is definitely not straight.”

Jongdae snorted. “No shit. The entire cafeteria knows he isn't straight.”

 “He could be bi. The girls—“

“Did he actually show interest in any of the girls?” Chanyeol looked up from his notebook.

“When Yoobin got water spilled on her, he asked if he could help,” Baekhyun said slowly. “But he did the same thing when I tripped in the cafeteria. And he took the time to be friends with Yerim even after he turned her down.” For some reason, the realization he wasn’t special hurt. “I think he actually cares about people.”

“Breaking News: Sehun’s actually a decent person.” Minji’s folded arms were directed at Chanyeol and Jongdae and Baekhyun. “How is this news?”

“With the formal plans of so many students up in the air, this is a story where accuracy counts.”

“It counts to Sehun. And no one else.” Minji shoved her hair out of her face. “Surely—“

“Joohyun!” Baekhyun slammed his fist into his hand, interrupting Minji. “He gave her his number! He actually volunteered it—that’s a sign, right?” And the three of them stared at Baekhyun, the another thought occurred. “Did Joohyun see him kiss me?” If she got the wrong idea, their relationship could be doomed before it even started—

“Enough about Joohyun!” Minji’s anger was unexpected. Baekhyun took a step back. “All anyone ever talks about is Joohyun! She’s so smart, she’s so talented, she’s so nice! It makes me mad! Yeah, she’s nice to your face, but the moment she gets busy, you're dropped for her popular friends!”

“That’s not true,” Baekhyun protested. “Joohyun does so much for the school, for other people—“

“You say that now.” Minji flipped her hair back over her shoulder. “Joohyun doesn’t have time for anything that won't look great on a college transcript. See if she’s still got time for you after the formal, Baekhyun.”

Jongdae shook his head. “Wow, Minji. Tell us how you really feel.”

Minji balled her hands into fists. “I know what I'm talking about. We were best friends in ninth grade. Now? I don’t think she has said two words to me all year. And that’s fine. People change. But everywhere I go, people won't shut up about her. Even now. You're supposed to be interviewing me, and instead, all we're talking about is Joohyun—“

“Interview?” Baekhyun blinked. “So that’s why Jongdae isn't in class!”

“What, you thought I’d skipped out to see you get kissed?” Jongdae elbowed him. “Relax, Baekhyun. Your story is safe from me.”

“My story?”

Minji smirked at him. “Sehun said ‘write about this.’”

Baekhyun swallowed. “I'm too close to the source.”

“Work the personal involvement factor,” Chanyeol said. “Especially as something tells me you won't be getting a repeat interview from Sehun anytime soon.”

That hurts. “But it's too personal.”

“We report on other peoples personal stuff. If we're going to be a newspaper worth the name, then we can't play favorites,” Chanyeol said. “Even when were favorites. Thursday deadline, Baekhyun.”

 

\--

 

AP English. Baekhyun stared at the pop quiz in front of him. His mind was blank as the paper. The only thing he could think about was Sehun, sitting two rows in front of him.

_“Write about that.”_

“And the time is up! Pass your papers to the front of the class, please.” Mr.  Kim said. “Good, good—oh no. No. This will not do.” Mr. Kim came to a halt. “Baekhyun, can I talk to you in the hall a moment?”

Sehun glanced toward Baekhyun and then quickly away. That hurt him more than the snicker from the jocks at the back of the class. Trying to look as if he didn’t care, he followed Mr. Kim out of the class.

“What’s the matter, Baekhyun?”

He shook his head. “Nothing.”

Mr. Kim held up Baekhyun’s quiz paper. These are questions you know! For you to turn in a blank paper is uncharacteristic.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Are you feeling okay? Do you need to see the nurse?”

Feeling like a fraud, he nodded.

“Grab your bag. I’ll write you a note.”

 _I was the biggest fraud in the entire school, and the nurse knew it._ She sniffed as she looked at the thermometer. “Just as I thought. Perfectly fine. Nothing at all the matter with you. I expect you’ve been staying up late, playing video games or something. Teenagers, today. You're all overtired.”

 He didn’t correct her. “But I can stay?”

“Yes,” she said grudgingly. “But only until next period. I want you out of here when the bell rings.”

Baekhyun pulled the curtains around the bed in the nurse's office with a feeling of relief. Next period, Sehun had Biology. He was safe!

But after that was art. He sighed, flopping onto the bed with a moan. _Why was life so difficult._

“Are you in actual pain or is it a teenage crisis?”

He’d forgotten the nurse. “I'm fine.”

“Let me know if that changes.”

He bit his lips. Ms. Choi was not going to take as charitable a view of his condition as Mr. Kim. Still, he had a fifty percent chance of getting sent to detention, so maybe it wouldn’t be that bad?

The white ceiling of the nurses' office stared back at him, just like his blank page had. Even here, there was no escape. His article was due tomorrow. He had no idea what he was going to write.

_Write about that._

What had Sehun meant? The more time passed, the less certain he was—of anything. Once again, He replayed the circumstances that led to the kiss in his mind. Sehun was angry, he knew that much. The kiss had proved a point.

Even now, a full day later, his chest burned at the thought. At the time, the kiss itself had distracted him, but now he was fully conscious that Sehun hadn't been thinking of him, his feelings and how embarrassing it was to have your personal life put out there for the entire school to see.

Was that the point? Seeing how Baekhyun liked it when the spotlight of interest was turned on him? Baekhyun turned over angrily, pulling the pillow over his head, but he couldn’t stop himself thinking.

“Not another one of you! I suppose you’ll be wanting to rest too.”

The nurse had a fresh victim. Baekhyun relaxed. With any luck, she’d forget about him.

“I’m fine. Just a mild headache. I don’t want to miss class.” Joohyun?

The nurse snorted. “You’d be the first. Sit down, and let's take your temperature. A headache, you say? When did it start?”

Baekhyun carefully pried the curtains apart so he had a thin gap to peer through.

It was easy to see why Mr. Kim had sent Joohyun out of class. She looked pale, and there was an uncharacteristic flatness to her. “This morning. It’s nothing to worry about—“

“I'll be the judge of that. Now, are there any stresses in your life right now, anything that might be causing you—“

Baekhyun cleared his throat loudly. “I'm feeling a lot better! Time I got going.”

The bell rang as he was making his way down the hall, and he changed direction for his locker. He walked slowly, still mulling over his thoughts. Now he had some new one to weigh. Had Joohyun been surprised to see him, or apprehensive? Had she been relieved that he was feeling better or that he was not there to hear the interview with the nurse?

He opened his locker and a folded up piece of paper fell out. A note? He unfolded it.

It took a moment to understand the sentence. _“Perfect” Joohyun is bulimic._ When he did, he was furious, scrunching up the piece of paper. Did they think this was funny? Or that he’d believe it? What was the point of slipping such a cruel note into his locker unless—

He felt dizzy.

Unless they thought he would print it.

Halfway to Calculus, he realized he had left his textbook in his locker. He saw Jongin in the hall, hurried to catch up with him. “Jongin! I need to talk to you.”

Jongin ignored him, heading in the direction of the music block. “Shouldn’t you be talking to Sehun?”

“I—what?” They didn’t have time for this. The bell was going to ring at any second. “It’s Joohyun.”

“Joohyun?” Jongin turned.

“Someone slipped this into my locker today.”

Jongin frowned at the not. “It’s not true.”

“I know that. It’s probably the same person who destroyed Joohyun’s posters.”

Jongin slipped the note into his pocket. “Are you going to print this?”

“What? No!”

“Good,” Jongin said. “Not a word to anyone. I’ll handle this.”

That bell went before he could stop him walking away. Baekhyun ran into his next class, but it was no good. He stood at the front of the class while the teacher recorded his lateness in the roll book with his intolerably ancient handwriting. “We really cannot have this behavior, Baekbeom,” he scolded him gently. “Punctuality is very important. If you were this late to a business meeting, you might lose your job.”

“My name’s not Baekbeom.”

“Of course, you will. Now take your seat and we’ll continue from where we were before Baekbeom arrived.

The teacher’s voice was usually comforting but today it was distracting. He couldn’t tell whether he was more upset by the note or the implications. The anonymous note writer believed that he would report any rumor he heard without any concern for truth. Worse, so did Jongin. Did the rest of his classmates think the same?

Did Sehun?

He pressed his fingers to his lips. The kiss was clear in his mind. Even clearer was just how right it felt to be pressed against Sehun. He remembered the moment he’d felt him relax. Maybe he didn’t dislike him as much as Baekhyun thought? To kiss him like that—

No, it was impossible that Sehun would ever go for someone he didn’t respect, and there was no way he respected someone who wrote a glorified gossip column. _Write about that—_

Fine, then. He would.

He pulled a fresh piece of losing paper from his file and began to write. _Why Coming Out is Hard. No, Not Like That._

 

\--

 

Baekhyun was past midnight editing his article. By the time he sent it to Seunghee, he’d rewritten it so many times he couldn’t even remember which version he sent. Not that he cared. He was done with the newspaper, done with school, done with Sehun.

 

\--

When Baekhyun walked down the hall, conversation trickled to a halt and then restarted hastily. He smiled grimly. As if he needed more proof that people had read it. The paper stands were already empty, and everywhere he looked, he could see the photo of Minji and her camera. _HIGH SCHOOL EXHIBITIONIST: Chance Encounter gets Junior photographer Her Own Gallery Exhibition._ Baekhyun’s article was on the second page.

He got his textbooks for his first classes, wondering how Sehun would take his demotion to the second page. Would he be relieved at first or miss the attention? Would he even notice? They might attend the same school, but for all he knew about his state of mind, they might have been on opposite ends of the globe.

“Baekhyun!” He froze, but it was too late, Sooyoung and Yerim had flanked him. “That was an amazing article!”

“I didn’t—“ What? “You really think so?”

Sooyoung nodded. “I didn’t realize there was so much pressure on guys. I mean, with all the privileges you get, I figured that men didn’t have any _real_ problems.”

“And you don’t have many friends, so I never thought you cared about others’ opinions that much,” Yerim continued. “Or that in a school as accepting as we are there would still be the pressure of expectation and disappointment. Poor Sehun!”

“You’d be surprised.“ Wait. “Poor Sehun?”

“Just think what he is going through right now. At least you had time to get to know us before coming out. Sehun’s still so new to the school.” Yerim shook her head.

Baekhyun had a sinking feeling. “I didn’t say that Sehun was thinking about coming out.”

“Of course, you couldn’t say that. Not without outing him. But when you talked about how important it was to allow people time and space in which to become comfortable with who they are, that was totally about Sehun!” Sooyoung nodded enthusiastically. “So we've got to support him.”

Sinking nothing. He had a weight tied to his legs and was plummeting toward the ocean floor. “Support him by respecting his right to privacy and space, right?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Baekhyun! We've got to show him that we’re behind him all the way. We can't do that by letting him have _space_.”

“Are you sure?” He asked, feeling increasingly desperate as they neared the corner where their paths parted.

“We don’t want Sehun thinking we’re rejecting him, right?” Yeim slapped him on the back. “Wait until English. You’ll see.”

He watched the sashay down the hall feeling utterly lost. Maybe Mr. Kim wouldn’t mind if he missed English twice?

 

\--

 

It was the worst class on his life.

Sehun was surrounded by a buzz of excited chatter. The girls were earnest in their support and encouragement, and the guys…the guys were even more so. One look at the trough around him and Baekhyun knew he had no chance of speaking to Sehun that period.

Instead, he slid into his usual desk, shaking his head at the guys making a spectacle of themselves. Seriously, Jaebum? He had called him a fag to his face! He had no business leaning on Sehun’s desk. And quiet, serious Sanhyuk, who only spoke to answer a teacher's question…Who could have predicted that?

But it was Yixing who hurt the most. Yixing, who had his hand resting on Sehun’s shoulder and was laughing with him. Yixing who had break up with Baekhyun after having their first time. Yixing who cared more about his popularity than his boyfriend. Yixing who didn’t do anything to defend Baekhyun—

“Good morning, class. Are you all here? Splendid.” Mr. Kim swept into the room. “Before we start, I think some congratulations are in order. Minji, your exhibition is something to be proud of! I will be checking it out when it opens. And Baekhyun, congratulations on a very thought-provoking article. I think it's your best piece yet.”

 As the rest of the class dutifully applauded, Sehun shot a glare to Baekhyun. His expression said plainly “I should have known.”

Baekhyun offered a weak shrug and an anguished grimace. Yixing’s hand was still on Sehun’s shoulder.

 

\--

 

Baekhyun timed his arrival to art late enough that all seats around Sehun would be taken. His classmates did not disappoint. He dropped his bag by the table nearest the door and watched the clock. He was out the door instant the bell rang, leaving Sehun alone with his supporters.

Lunch was where things started to get weird. A couple of seniors had lingered in the lunchroom to talk to Sehun. Baekhyun smirked a little as he noticed Taemin among them—He’d his suspicions about him for years!

For the first time, Sehun’s perfect composure seemed to be showing cracks. He nodded in response to whatever they were saying, but his eyes were wandering the cafeteria. When his gaze settled on Baekhyun, he saw his throw tighten.

Not a good sign. Baekhyun tucked his apple into his pocket and rewrapped his sandwich.

But as he stood to return his tray, Sehun moved toward him.

“Hey!” Taemin protested. “I'm not finished. We really mean that—“

“That’s great,” Sehun said, weaving through the tables towards Baekhyun. “But another time. I have to—“

Junmyeon’s chair screeched as he stood. “All right, new kid. I have had enough. Who do you think you are, coming in here acting like you’re so much better than the rest of us like you’re so above it all?”

The cafeteria fell silent as everyone turned to stare.

“I wasn’t intending anything of that sort. So if you don’t mind—“ Sehun tried again to side step Junmyeon, but he blocked his path.

“Yeah, I mind. You think being class president means you get to do what you like? It means shit. You’re still the new kid, and when a senior talks to you, you show respect.” Junmyeon took a step into Sehun’s personal space, coming as hard as he could. “Or you face the consequences.”

“I mean no disrespect to you or your friends, Junmyeon,” Sehun said. His voice was calm and reasonable, even with Junmyeon in his face. “But I’m in a hurry. Perhaps we can continue this discussion later?” He stepped around Junmyeon.

Junmyeon turned, grabbing Sehun’s arm. “I'm not done with you,” he snarled, tugging Sehun back so that he stumbled. “Think being new we won't hit you?” Think again, freak!”

The students in the tables hastily grabbed their bags and pulled the chairs out of the way. “Fight! Fight!”

Sehun didn’t try to shake Junmyeon’s grip. “This is really a bad idea,” he said. “You don’t want to do this.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!”

Baekhyun was frozen in his spot as Junmyeon raised his fist. He had to do something—but what? Run for a teacher? Useless as he was in a fight, he couldn’t leave Sehun. He took a step toward them—

“Calm down, son. You will come with me.” Mr. Kim said.

“This isn't necessary,” Sehun protested. “It’s just a simple misunderstanding.”

“The principal will be that judge of that. Are you all right, Sehun?”

“Fine. He barely touched me—this is way out of proportion to what happened.”

Mr. Kim didn’t listen as he took them to the principal’s office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiii What are your thoughts on this chapter? Sehun and Baekhyun had kind of a fight and a KISS, here is where things start getting a little bit complicated! So be prepare! haha  
> Please comment and leave kudos! It really makes me feel happy!  
> Thanks for reading! XOXO :D

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I don't know what I'm doing and I hope I can finish this before summer ends. but yeah I'm starting a new story even if I have one that isn't finished. 
> 
> But who cares, its been a while since I wrote something and I was dying to make a high school au so here it is, I don't know where this story is going but I hope it's good. ALSO, The name of the story may be changed in the future till I think of something better and more creative. 
> 
> PLEASE support this and comment what you think! I would really appreciate it. :) 
> 
> xoxo :D 


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